Trump warns Russia and China against selling weapons to Iran: It is not in their interest

US President Donald Trump warned both China and Russia on Friday against selling weapons to Iran, stating that he believes the assurances of the two countries’ leaders, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, that they have not taken such steps so far. Trump said on his Truth Social network, “From here, I see that the two major countries whose names are frequently mentioned in the context of Iran are not involved. If they do, it would be very bad for them, and certainly not in their interest.”

Trump’s comments came amid reports that Washington is investigating whether Moscow and Beijing are providing Iran with precise information following a series of strikes on US bases. The US president clarified that his Chinese counterpart had informed him during their meeting in Beijing in May that he would not arm Iran under any circumstances, adding, “Given our relationship, I believe him.”

Trump noted that Putin had made a similar pledge despite the war in Ukraine, and continued, “He knows that I do not sell weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO countries (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). They pay the full price. As for how these weapons are distributed, I have no knowledge of that.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump threatened the European Union on Friday with new tariffs and the opening of a formal trade investigation following Brussels’ recent anti-monopoly fine on Google. Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social network that the bloc “will pay a very heavy price for its highly illegal and unethical behavior, which I have warned about repeatedly,” pointing to “massive tariffs” that will be imposed “as soon as possible.”

In another development, a White House official announced on Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, amid a new effort to end the war with Russia. The official, speaking to Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity, said, “President Zelensky is scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House on Tuesday.”

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky coincides with the funeral ceremonies for Senator Lindsey Graham, a supporter of Ukraine, who died earlier this month at the age of about 71. Kyiv has not yet confirmed the meeting between Zelensky and Trump, or whether the Ukrainian president will attend Graham’s funeral.

Zelensky announced this week that he had spoken with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner in an attempt to revive stalled talks to end the four-year-old war. Negotiations led by the United States to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, with Washington focusing on the war with Iran.