President Donald Trump has for the first time doubted Vladimir Putins willingness to end the war in Ukraine that Russia began in February 2022 with an all-out invasion.
It comes after he had a second in-person meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while at Pope Francis funeral in Rome.
There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesnt want to stop the war, hes just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, Trump wrote this morning in a post on Truth Social.
The various ways he suggested to deal with Putin including banking and secondary sanctions.
Too many people are dying!!! Trump wrote, referring to the Russian military strikes in Ukraine this week that killed dozens of people and destroyed buildings.
Imposing further sanctions on Russia is something that could happen in the future, seeing as 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans in the Senate agreed to introduce a bill earlier this month that would do just that.
Trumps suggestion that Putin doesnt want the war to end came after the longtime Russian leader welcomed US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow. Witkoff was reportedly there to discuss a US-brokered peace plan for Ukraine.
For weeks, Trump has been demanding an end to the fighting, even hinting on Friday that a deal between the two warring nations could be close.
President Donald Trump has for the first time doubted Vladimir Putin s willingness to end the war in Ukraine that Russia began in February 2022 with an all-out invasion
His statement came the same day he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Vatican City while they were both at the funeral for Pope Francis
Trump apparently souring on Putin as a peace partner comes after he sent US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (pictured left) to broker an end to the war in Ukraine
Earlier this week, Trump slammed Zelensky for rejecting out of hand any deal that would allow Russia to retain control of Crimea, a peninsula it illegally annexed in 2014.
However, it seems that Trump and Zelensky have mended things in the days since, with both men describing their talk in Vatican City in positive terms.
Zelensky thanked Trump, calling the meeting good and symbolic.
The Ukrainian president added that he is hoping for results on everything we covered.
He said this included, Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.
Zelensky said his meeting with Trump has the potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.
Trump souring on Putin as a peace partner is a remarkable shift in tone since February, when he told reporters that Ukraine had three years to end the war.
You should have never started it, he said about Ukraine while US-led peace talks were happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Days after those talks, which did not include Ukrainian negotiators, Trump invited Zelensky to the White House. Their meeting in the Oval Office devolved into a shouting match.
Trump and Zelenskys meeting on February 28 in the Oval Office did not go as well as their second attempt in Rome on Saturday
Zelensky angered Trump and Vice President Vance when he made a comment about the US having a nice ocean separating it from conflict.
First of all during the war, everybody has problems. Even you, but you have a nice ocean and dont feel it now but you will feel it in the future.
Trump jumped in to say, Dont tell us what were going to feel. Were trying to solve a problem. Dont tell us what were going to feel... Youre in no position to dictate what were going to feel.
Youre gambling with World War III, Trump bellowed at Zelensky at one point.
Trump and Vance repeatedly told Zelensky he wasnt being grateful for the tens of billions of dollars in aid the US has supplied his country for the war effort.