merlyn thomas, bbc news, washington.lier i spoke to merlyn and i asked her how republicans have reacted to the president's comments on ukraine. after president trump spent the day attacking ukraine's apologies, we played the california los angeles, who's published several it's pretty hard to see any strategy in what he's been saying. it really seems to me to be just reactions to events. he's emotional. he clearly dislikes zelensky. he's disliked him for a long time. supported it, and clearly he likes putin. he dislikes ukraine because the biden administration supported it, and clearly he likes putin. to justify that commitment or that, er his choice to be on that side of the issue. we've all been gauging the reactions of others in his administration, other republicans. but what do you think is happening behind the scenes? what pressure could be upon donald trump to try to rein him in? well, at this point, i think pressure on trump is collapsing. the republicans in congress, falsehood of president trump's claim that ukrai

our north america correspondent merlyn thomas reports. we missed you a lot.mp continues his conversations with world leaders. his latest guest at the white house, the indian prime minister, narendra modi. butjust a day before meeting his indian counterpart, it was mr trump's phone call with russian leader vladimir putin that was making headlines. their talks about ending the war in ukraine were still very much on reporters�* minds at a press conference. we had a very good conversation with president putin the other day, yesterday, and we also had a very good conversation. i did both, in both cases, with president zelensky. and i think we're going to be able to do something. i think we're going to be able to make a deal. and i hope so, because it's a horrible war. the president yesterday insisted that the russian leader wants peace, but ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky says he's warned world leaders against trusting putin's claims of readiness to end the war. i know him very well. yeah, i think he wants peace. i think he would tell me if he didn't. but e

let's speak to our north america correspondent merlyn thomas who's in washington for us.omas who's in washington foi for the most been pretty quiet on these part been pretty quiet on these comments. we've heard some comments. we've heard from some that they disagree senators that theydisagree president senators that theyaisagrss president trump's one they comments, one said they disagreed with the comments, said ukraine the war the russian start the war the russian president who this war. president who started this war. and so we some scattered and so we have some scattered comments of disagreement but for the most part the republican party has been fairly quiet on and that fairly quiet on this, and that is more of an indication that trump has really president trump has really driven out any form of from this party and criticism from this party and 77» mm a . m7 , of criticism from this party and 77» mm s . ms c of the criticism from this partyaha ,,, c ,, . m a, .. c c of the republicans and lawmakers are having to in line |n linewwith” w |n lifié'w'it'ii'whéf " |n iffiéfii

with me is our north america correspondent merlyn thomas. has announced for three of announced tariffs for three us's largest the us�*s largest trading — mexico, canada mmchina. china. he wwchina. he said w ”china. he said put and china. he said hell pie; ”**"'*”'”*""’ and china. he said hell pub” '" " ' on both mexico and 25% tariffs on both mexico and and 10% on china — canada, and 10% on china — also hinted he might do same for european the same for european goods, but he hasn't been more specific. i let me walk you —— specific; ! let me wat'c 777 you specific; itet me ways. goo—fi— ~~~ you through what it means. n what it means. tariffs n what it means. tariffs are and what it means. tariffs are and what it means. tariffs are an tax on that an import tax on goods that are produced abroad. and what that an import tax on goods that are produc for|broad. and what that an import tax on goods that are produc for american id what that an import tax on goods that are produc for american companies: an import tax on goods that are produc for ameri

our north america correspondent merlyn thomas reports.ffs tomorrow? no, nothing. not right now. no. not a negotiating tool? no it's not. no. for those across the pond too. you a political answer? absolutely, absolutely. he engaged in a brief tit for tat trade war in his first is there anything china, . canada and mexico can do tonight to forestall your implementation - of tariffs tomorrow? no, nothing. not right now. no. not a negotiating tool? no it's not. no. and he hinted that something similar might be coming for those across the pond too. am i going to impose tariffs on the european union? do you want the truthful answer or should i give you a political answer? absolutely, absolutely. the european union has treated us so terribly. this is in mr trump's playbook. he engaged in a brief tit for tat trade war in his first term, when he slapped tariffs on canadian aluminium products and steel. canada retaliated and they've promised to do the same again. mark carney, the frontrunner to be the new canadian prime minister, said they won't be

our north america correspondent merlyn thomas sent this update on the us reaction to trump's commentsomments, calling the ukrainian president a dictator. now, this sudden foreign policy shift in sees-en fer-sign petiev shift in f’”* isessen fefeign petieg shift in ' " ~ " is dramatic but feedden fefeign petieg shift in ' " ” " is dramatic but is the us is dramatic but it is not surprising because it is clearly a 180 degrees pivot z -22 the biden 77 the biden administration. from the bidenradrrolantration, 77“ 5: biden, 7 r fr——r from the bidenradrrolantration, 77“ 5: biden, he — , fr——r from the bidenradrrolantration, 77“ 5: biden, he had —r——r for president biden, he had supporting ukraine central made supporting ukraine central to his foreign policy, and also made it clear that president was the enemy. but as for putin was the enemy. butasfor he has putin was the enemy. butasjor he has really plesident trump. he has_really charting this course for been charting this course for now. he has previously years now. he has previously spokenin years now. he has previously spoken in admirat

our north america correspondent merlyn thomas reports. and vladimir putin aren't exactly friends. certainly not allies — unless there's something to gain. and for president trump, it's ending the war in ukraine. we had a great call, and it lasted for a long time, over an hour, this morning. i also had with president zelensky a very good call after that. i think president putin wants peace and president zelensky wants peace, and i want peace. i just want to see people stop getting killed. and an in—person meeting is on the cards. he'll come here and i'll go there, and we're going to meet also probably in saudi arabia, the first time we'll meet in saudi arabia, see if we can get something done. but we want to end that war. that war is a disaster. it's a really bloody, horrible war. after he spoke to vladimir putin, president trump also spoke to ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky, who described their conversation as meaningful. translation: we discussed many issues, and president trump - informed me of what putin told him. we believe tha

could spark a wider trade war, and , consumers might pay the our north america correspondent, merlyn thomashe was. ooino to dotbis. ~ . said that he was. ooino to dotbis. ~ . said was said that he was. ooiho to dothia. ~ . said was a possibility. he he said it was a possibility. now he has it. , , , he would do. it i slightly said he would do. it is slightly on the but it is here. late on the delivery but it is here. he said he wanted to do it to curb immigration and stop the flow of drugs 77 77drugs in 7 drugs in the us. he blames illegal drugs in the us. he blames canada, and united states canada, mexico and the united states for those things and he sees tariffs as a way to those goals. to as a way to those goals. central to that, tariffs are a key to his for7the economy and -—77 = -77 tax it's7also a 777tactic. 7 7 777tactic. e0} 7 7 777tactic. e0} context, 7 7777t7a7c7ti7c. e0} context, the negotiating tactic. for context, the us, and mexico are ina negotiating tactic. for context, the us, and mexico are in a free us, canada and mexico are in a free trade agreement signed by donald us,