Russian President Vladimir Putin abruptly left a government meeting, citing an "urgent necessity" to conduct an "international phone conversation." The government meeting was being broadcast live on-air when Putin excused himself, however, he did not disclose who the phone call would be with.
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously stated that he planned to call Putin "soon" after his inauguration. Although, it remains unclear whether the call has already taken place or if this was the conversation Putin interrupted the meeting for.
Newsweek has reached out to the Kremlin for comment vie email.
Why It Matters
Russia recently responded to President Trump's warning that he will impose tariffs and sanctions if Moscow does not "make a deal" soon and end the war with Ukraine.
Russia's Deputy United Nations Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told Reuters that it depends on what a "deal" means, and the Kremlin said it does not see "any new elements here."
What To Know
Trump's threat could not only have detrimental effects on Moscow's struggling economy, but it could also increase tensions between Russia and the U.S. and make peace negotiations with Ukraine more difficult.
Long-Standing Ramifications on Markets
The imposition of tariffs and sanctions could also have long-standing ramifications on global markets, as tariffs imposed on goods by either country could affect other countries importing the products. Further, the tariffs on Russian goods could also indirectly affect American consumers by impacting U.S. market prices, particularly with materials made with certain metals that the country no longer imports, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions
In a post on Truth Social on Jan. 22, Trump made threats to Russia's economy and wrote that it is "ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don't make a 'deal.'" He added that he would have "no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bill Kristol, the director of Defending Democracy Together, wrote: "But Russia already prevented from selling anything in U.S. So this threat of 'Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions' seems empty. If Trump wants to put pressure on Putin, he needs to ramp up support for Ukraine. Otherwise it's just weak rhetoric from Trump which Putin will ignore."
Russian UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, on Jan. 3: "Nothing from the incoming U.S. administration suggests anything of interest to us."
What Happens Next
It is unknown at this time when peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by the U.S., will begin and if Moscow is willing to make any concessions to end the war.
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