‘Putin Will Be Strangled By Tariffs’
6- 16.03.2025, 11:45
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The U.S. has the power to compel Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s reaction to the 30-day ceasefire proposal with Ukraine was predictable. The White House likely understands that the situation is at an impasse. However, so far, Trump has not applied the necessary pressure on the Kremlin leader. In an interview with Glavred, journalist, sociologist, and media expert Igor Yakovenko discussed whether Trump has real leverage over Putin.
Yakovenko predicts that the U.S. leader still does not grasp the deadlock but could influence Putin’s decision.
"The levers of influence are in Pentagon warehouses. I’m talking about 7,000 Tomahawk missiles, several thousand F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, and other weaponry. If there were political will, the U.S. could supply Ukraine with at least a thousand Tomahawks and about 500 fighter jets—even piloted by American volunteers, retirees, or veterans. Such a step could radically change the battlefield situation in Ukraine’s favor," the sociologist said.
He is confident that if Trump provided Ukraine with powerful military aid, the Ukrainian Armed Forces could destroy Russia’s war machine by 2025. However, the U.S. president does not seem willing to pursue this scenario.
"Trump thinks in different terms—his mind is focused on 'deals' and tariffs. He plans to 'strangle' Putin with tariffs, imposing serious trade barriers on Russian goods. He could deal severe blows to Russia’s economy, especially if he seriously decides to take down Russia’s shadow tanker fleet. But it’s far from certain that Trump will take such a step," Yakovenko explained.
He emphasized that the real leverage over Putin is military aid to Ukraine, which would allow it to defeat the enemy.
"Of course, we understand that Trump is unpredictable, and this uncertainty gives us some hope that he might implement reasonable measures. However, that hope is slim," the journalist added.
He also noted that while a meeting between Trump and Putin has yet to take place, it remains difficult to predict what the outcome of their negotiations will be.
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