25 Apr, 2025 15:15

Ukraine conflict, recognizing Russia’s Crimea, tariffs, immigration: Highlights from Trump’s sit down with Time Magazine

The US president has given an extensive interview marking his first 100 days back in office

US President Donald Trump has stated that Kiev will never join NATO, suggested that Washington could officially recognize Crimea as Russian, and signaled that he expects the Ukraine conflict to be resolved soon.

Speaking to Time Magazine to commemorate the first 100 days of his second term in office, Trump gave an extensive interview covering key topics such as immigration, tariffs, and the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Here’s a recap of what Trump said.

Middle East and Iran

Trump confirmed that he has begun direct talks with Iran and that he is open to a meeting with the country’s president or supreme leader in order to reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program.

At the same time, Trump suggested that while he would not be “dragged” into a conflict with Iran if Israel chooses to attack it, Washington could still “go in very willingly” if a deal is not reached.

The president also touched on his upcoming trip to the Middle East to meet with representatives of Saudi Arabia, who have agreed to invest $1 trillion in the US economy, as well as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump added that he hopes to restart the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations, building on the Abraham Accords, which he said his predecessor Joe Biden had failed to utilize.

Tariffs and trade

Trump defended the reintroduction of sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, insisting they are necessary to protect American workers and industry. He claimed that the US is “taking in hundreds of billions of dollars of tariffs” and rejected concerns raised by economists about their impact on inflation and global trade.

The president also noted that major retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot have backed his trade policies, and said that tariff exemptions for small businesses could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Recap

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Ukraine conflict, recognizing Russia’s Crimea, tariffs, immigration: Highlights from Trump’s sit down with Time Magazine

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