Tariffs and Tone

Whose war?

Shahed Parts, ©2025 William L. Brown. Russia’s Shahed drones are made with parts from around the world. There are embargoes against selling these parts to Russia, but unscrupulous dealers find ways around them. To quote from a 5_minutes_with post “The majority of the components in russian SU planes bombing Ukrainian cities are from the USA according to IPHR: SU-34 and SU-35 aircraft rely on 1,115 verified microelectronic components manufactured by 141 companies based mainly in the United States, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and France.”

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This morning US President Donald Trump and NATO Chief Mark Rutte announced a 100% tariff on Russia, starting in 50 days “if we don’t get a deal,” meaning a peace deal.

“We’re very very unhappy with him,” Trump said of Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin.

Regarding the tariff and deadline, Rutte said, “If I were Putin, I’d reconsider.”

BBC reports the Russian stock exchange went up with the news, as 100% tariffs are not as harsh as expected.

They announced that the US will send much-needed weapons and ammunition to Ukraine indirectly via NATO partners. Rutte saying it will be delivered in “packages,” coordinated with US and NATO. Trump stressed that NATO countries were purchasing these weapons, they will not be sent as free aid.

…we've made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons and they're going to be paying for them. We the United States will not be having any payment made. Uh we are not buying it, but we will manufacture it and they're going to be paying for it.

Commentators are calling this a change in tone and a turn-around because Trump appears to be turning on Russian president Putin.

The only changes I see are in tactics. The tone is the same. He continues to refuse to give aid. He will only sell it. He will not spend US tax dollars or donate US arms.

Trump repeatedly distanced himself and his administration from the war

This is, again, this is a Biden war. This is a Democrat war, not a Republican or Trump war. This is a war that would have never happened. It shouldn't have happened.

At one point Rutte interrupted to correct Trump’s rambling statements about Russia’s supposed recent battlefield successes.

He continues to frame Russia’s war as former President Biden’s war. He referred to Biden in the context of the war seven times in the press conference. He continues to link the “rigged election” to this issue.

Election was rigged and I was outside looking in and I said, you know, that thing's going to be a war. Couldn't believe it. because what Biden said was the exact opposite of what should have been said and it started and it's a real mess."

He continues to support Ukraine only if the US is getting paid for it. It’s never out of solidarity for an ally, support for international democracy, or empathy for Ukrainian victims. The 5000 weekly death figure he frequently cites with a tremor in his voice is mostly Russian military deaths.

He continues to claim the US spent “$350 billion dollars” on Ukraine. The US spent $175 billion dollars, according to a March 2025 Council on Foreign Relations paper, much of which went to American manufacturers making materials to send to Ukraine, or to make modern replacements for materials sent to Ukraine from old military stockpiles.

Trump continues to lean on Ukraine as though it is equally responsible for the war, and making broad hints that he expects Ukraine to make big concessions, probably in the form of territory. This sentiment and his perpetual irritation with Ukraine leak into his remarks following his statement about NATO’s recent increase in defense spending.

TRUMP: We hope that's going to have an impact on Vladimir Putin and we hope it's going to have an impact on Ukraine also. We want to make sure that Ukraine does what they have to do. All of a sudden … they may feel emboldened and maybe they don't want—you know, this is a very difficult situation.

RUTTE: Ukraine wants a peace deal.

TRUMP: I think so.

RUTTE: And they will stay committed to that. There's no doubt they want it.

TRUMP: Yeah? [skeptical]

RUTTE: But the Russians have to be committed.

TRUMP: [referring to Ukraine] They have to continue to want it though.

RUTTE: Yeah. I agree. But you and I will make sure of that.

TRUMP: All of a sudden they [Ukraine] get all …

RUTTE: You and I will make shortcuts.

TRUMP: We’ll make shortcuts. I feel confident that they will do what has to be done. Plus we have certain parameters that both sides know and we already know what what should be done. So I think that's going to be uh it's going to be very strong. We want everlasting peace.

Statements such as “what has to be done,” “certain parameters,” “what should be done” and “make sure that Ukraine does what they have to do” are worrisome.