Rome (AP) – President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he doubts Vladimir Putin of Russia wants to end his War in Ukraineexpressing a new skepticism that a peace agreement can be contacted soon. One day earlier, Trump said Ukraine and Russia were ” Very close to an agreement. “”
“There was no reason why Putin shoots missiles in civil zones, cities and cities, in recent days,” said Trump in a social media position when he returned to the United States after attending Pope Francis funeral to the Vatican, where he found himself at the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump also referred to new sanctions against Russia.
“It makes me think that he may not want to stop war, he simply makes me hit and must be treated differently, by the” bank “or the” secondary sanctions? “Too many people die !!!” Trump wrote.
The new doubts broadcast by Trump come as president and the best employees intensify their thrust to conclude an agreement to end the war which began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.
The comments also strongly contrasted with Trump’s positive evaluation that the two parties were “very close to an agreement” after his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Putin in Moscow on Friday.
The Trump-Zelenskyy conversation on the touch of the pope’s funeral was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since they argued during a Heated oval office meeting At the White House at the end of February. This confrontation led to the White House To take a break briefly American military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
A few days after ordering the break, Trump also announced that he “strongly considered” to impose new sanctions and prices on Russia to try to seriously cause Putin. Trump has not yet followed the threat – something that even some of his convincing republican breastfeeds are now pressure. In fact, when Trump announced new world rates this month, a great economy that he did not target was that of Russia.
On Friday, Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, urged Trump to “put the most difficult sanctions for Putin”, arguing that there is “a clear proof that he plays America as a Patsy”.
This is the second time in a few days that Trump has reprimanded Putin, that the American president rarely criticizes publicly.
Trump publicly urged the Russian chief on Thursday to “stop!” After a fatal dam of attacks against Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
After their brief meeting on Saturday, the Zelenskyy office said that the American and Ukrainian teams made arrangements for the leaders to leave on Saturday. But Trump went directly to Rome Airport after the funeral and went on Air Force One for the 10-hour flight in the United States.
Zelenskyy spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said Trump and Zelenskyy have not met in person because of their tight schedules.
Zelenskyy described this as “good meeting” on social networks after the funeral.
“We have discussed a lot of one against one. Hoping for results on everything we have covered. Protect the life of our people. A complete and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking, “said the Ukrainian leader, who also had discussions on Saturday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Very symbolic meeting which has the potential to become historic, if we obtain joint results. THANKS.”
The White House described the discussion of “very productive”. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes inside the Saint-Pierre basilica in the Vatican, where Francis often preached the need for a peaceful end to war, just before Trump and Zelenskyy took their place in the outdoor funeral.
A long time ago, the Vatican had proposed to help facilitate peace talks and Francis had regularly called for peace and dialogue of the altar of the basilica. The fact that Trump and Zelenskyy spoke in private, face to face and leaned over chairs on the marbled floors of the Pope’s house, the day of his funeral, was perhaps an appropriate way to honor his wishes.
Trump said on social networks after his arrival in Italy late Friday, that Russia and Ukraine should Meet for “very high level conferences” By finishing the war.
Neither Putin ni Zelenskyy commented Trump calls from direct talks.
Trump pressed both parties to quickly reach an agreement to end the war, but while Zelenskyy accepted an American plan for a first 30 -day stop to hostilities, Russia did not sign and continued to hit targets in Ukraine.
Putin did not attend Francis funeral. He faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, which accused him of war crimes from The invasion of Ukraine by Moscow.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Friday evening, Zelenskyy said that “very important meetings could take place” in the coming days and have reiterated his calls to an unconditional ceasefire.
“A real pressure on Russia is necessary so that they accept either the American proposal to stop pulling and heading towards peace, or our proposal-depending on what we can really work and ensure a reliable, immediate and unconditional cease-fire, then-a peace and guarantees of worthy security,” he said.
“Diplomacy must succeed. And we do everything to make diplomacy really significant and finally effective. ”
The meeting on Saturday also came shortly after Trump published his most final statement to date on the need for Ukraine to give up Russia to end the war. He said in an interview with Time magazine published on Friday that “Crimea will stay with Russia.”
Russia seized the strategic peninsula Along the Black Sea in the south of Ukraine in 2014, years before the large -scale invasion that started in 2022. Zelenskyy wants to find Crimea And other Ukrainian territories seized by Russia, but Trump considers that demand is not realistic.
Russia also seized Ukrainian territory in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson since invaded in February 2022.
Referring to Crimea during the interview, which was conducted on Tuesday at the White House, Trump said: “Everyone understands that it has been with them for a long time”, which means Russia.
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Madhani reported to Washington. The journalists of the Associated Press, Nicole Winfield, in the city of Vatican and Volodymyr Yurchuk in kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
