Trump on the seizure of the Russian tanker: what he said about the call from Putin.

According to ТСН: US President Donald Trump commented on the seizure of the oil tanker under the Russian flag and responded to questions about whether he communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the incident.

In his interview for Fox News, Trump said that the decision to seize the tanker was not a difficult one:

"I don't think it was a difficult decision"

The host also asked whether Putin called after the seizure. Trump did not provide a direct answer, stating:

"I don't want to talk about it, but the fact is that the Russian ships - there was a submarine and a destroyer - both left the area very quickly when we arrived"

What is known about the seizure of the oil tanker under the Russian flag?

On January 7, the US, together with the UK, seized the oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella-1), which was sailing under the Russian flag, after a two-week chase in the Atlantic. The vessel, which was involved in transporting Venezuelan oil, tried to evade sanctions by changing the writing on its hull and registering in Russia. Despite the escort of a Russian submarine and destroyer, US forces landed on board between Iceland and Britain with London's support. The White House considered the ship 'stateless' due to flag manipulation, while Moscow expressed official protest.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urged the US to urgently return the Russian citizens from the seized tanker to their homeland.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt emphasized that the Trump administration would not tolerate sanctions violations. She also reported that the crew of the seized tanker has already been issued a warrant for arrest for further consideration in the US.

The incident involving the seizure of the oil tanker underscores the growing tensions between the US and Russia, particularly in the context of sanctions imposed on countries supporting Venezuela. Moscow's reaction indicates the possibility of further escalation of the conflict, which could have serious consequences for international relations. The situation will remain in the spotlight as both countries continue to advocate for their interests on the world stage.