Trump on tariffs: ‘Not now… maybe in 2 or 3 weeks’ after holding talks with Putin

US President Donald Trump on Saturday signaled that retaliatory tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil could be considered in the coming weeks, though he ruled out any immediate action.

Speaking shortly after his high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump said the discussions went "very well" and suggested that sanctions may be delayed.

"Well, because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that (tariffs)," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. "Now, I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now."

The remarks come against the backdrop of Trump’s earlier warning of secondary sanctions and 100 percent tariffs on Russia unless Moscow agreed within 50 days to a deal to end the Ukraine war.

India has already faced Washington’s tariff heat, with Trump imposing retaliatory duties of up to 50 per cent on New Delhi for continuing oil imports from Moscow. Half of the tariffs have been implemented, while the rest are scheduled for August 27.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier warned that Washington could escalate tariffs on India if Trump’s Alaska talks with Putin failed to yield progress.

Trump’s latest statement, however, suggests a temporary pause, as the White House weighs its next move in the escalating standoff over Russia’s global oil trade.

Alaska Summit: The Alaska summit served as a symbolic reset in US–Russia diplomacy, reviving direct talks at the highest level. Yet, despite its spectacle, the meeting yielded no peace agreement or breakthroughs, leaving the war in Ukraine unresolved and Western allies uneasy about the pace and direction of US involvement.