President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that the coming days will determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is truly engaging in meaningful talks to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine—or merely stalling for time.
Following the swearing-in ceremony for Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, which took place in the Oval Office, Trump took a few moments to speak with members of the press.
In response to a question about whether he believes Putin is genuinely interested in peace, Trump replied that more clarity would come shortly. “I can’t tell you that, but I’ll let you know in about two weeks. Within two weeks. We’re going to find out very soon,” he said. “We’re going to find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not, and if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently.”
Trump indicated that Russia appears to be leaning toward reaching an agreement, though he noted that verbal signals mean little without a formal commitment. “They seem to want to do something, but until the document is signed, I can’t tell you,” he remarked.
He went on to criticize Russia’s recent military actions during a time of supposed negotiations. “I can say this… I’m very disappointed at what happened a couple of nights now where people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation. I’m very disappointed by that — very, very disappointed,” Trump said.
Trump was also questioned about a Truth Social post from the day prior, where he warned that Putin “is playing with fire,” and was asked what repercussions Russia could face. He declined to lay out specifics but reinforced his discontent. “Well, I’m not going to tell you exactly, but the words speak pretty loud…We’re not happy about that situation,” he said, before shifting the discussion to highlight developments in diplomatic efforts elsewhere in the Middle East.
These remarks follow a strongly worded post Trump shared on Truth Social on Sunday, in which he asserted that Putin “has gone absolutely CRAZY.” He cautioned that any attempt by Russia to seize all of Ukraine would ultimately spell its “downfall.”
In response to Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov issued a statement Monday acknowledging the president’s role in promoting dialogue. “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process,” Peskov told Reuters.
Peskov also acknowledged the emotionally charged nature of the situation. “Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions,” he added.
{Matzav.com}