Trump Claims to Have Spoken with Xi Jinping and Asserts Crimea Will Remain with Russia

• Trump spoke with Xi Jinping
• Crimea «will remain with Russia»
• Tariff war remains active

US President Donald Trump stated this Friday that he has spoken «many times» with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

However, he refused to provide details about the content or timing of those conversations.

«I don’t want to comment on that. But I have spoken with him many times,» Trump said when questioned by the press at the White House.

The questions arose after the president claimed in an interview with Time magazine that Xi Jinping had called him to discuss tariffs.

Tensions Rise Between the US (Trump) and China Over Tariff War

The trade tension between the United States and China intensified at the beginning of April when Trump significantly raised tariffs on Chinese products.

The US imposed duties of 145%, while China retaliated with tariffs of up to 125% on American imports.

Trump has insisted that his administration maintains regular contact with Beijing to negotiate a possible resolution.

However, China has firmly denied that there are any formal trade talks currently taking place with Washington.

«The US president said on Wednesday that the world’s two largest economies are ‘actively’ talking to find a solution to the trade war.»

Trump has justified his tariff strategy as a response to «unfair trade practices» by China.

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He asserts that his goal is to restore US manufacturing capacity and reduce the trade deficit.

«There’s a limit they will feel comfortable with,» Trump told Time. «But they can’t allow themselves to make a trillion dollars off us.»

The trade confrontation has caused sharp movements in financial markets and fueled fears of a global recession.

In the same interview, Trump also addressed the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe, stating that «Crimea will remain with Russia.»

This statement marks another signal of pressure on Ukraine to accept territorial concessions amid its conflict with Moscow.

«Zelensky understands,» Trump said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, «and everyone understands that it’s been with them for a long time.»

The president blamed former President Barack Obama for the loss of Crimea in 2014, when Russia seized the peninsula.

«They’ve had their submarines there long before the period we are talking about, for many years. The people of Crimea mostly speak Russian,» Trump asserted. «But this was given by Obama. It wasn’t given by Trump.»

Meanwhile, violence in Ukraine continues.

A drone struck an apartment building in a southeastern Ukrainian city, killing three people and injuring at least ten others.

The attack occurred just one day after Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for a deadly missile and drone offensive against Kyiv.

The statements by the US president continue to generate controversy both economically and geopolitically.

SOURCE: EFE / Infobae