Trump Officials' Evolving Narrative on Russia's Exclusion from Tariffs

 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-trump-tarriffs-trade-2056152

Russia's involvement in Ukraine peace talks was the main reason why Moscow has not faced the painful trade tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on most of the rest of the world.

That explanation by White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett appears to stand in contrast with the Trump administration's previous reason, voiced last week: namely that trade between the two countries is too negligible, due to sanctions over Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.

The lack of impact on Moscow has been met with criticism in Ukraine. The Hope for Ukraine charity CEO Yuriy Boyechko has noted that the war-torn country, also party to the peace negotiations, has been hit with 10 percent tariffs while Russia was exempt.