- Category
- Latest news
Trump’s Words to Putin May Have Been Seen as Green Light for Continued Attacks on Ukraine
- Authors
![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
US President Trump’s efforts to push forward peace talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have stalled, as his latest deadline for a bilateral meeting passed without success, accordig to a Times report on Septermber 1.
Following his Alaska summit with Putin and a White House meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump expressed frustration with both sides, as well as his European allies.
While Europe blames Moscow for avoiding a meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump is shifting blame to European leaders, accusing them of encouraging Ukraine to hold out for better terms.
He admitted to relying on his personal rapport with Putin to move the process forward, but after more than two weeks of no progress, Trump likened the situation to “two kids fighting in the playground,” suggesting both sides may need to continue “fighting” before they can come to the table, The Times writes.
Putin, however, appears to have interpreted Trump’s comments as a green light to keep fighting. Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov clarified that no firm agreement had been made for a trilateral meeting, and Trump has returned to blaming both sides for the continuation of the war.
Although the US administration is unlikely to participate in the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris on September 4, reports suggest the White House has instructed the Treasury to prepare a list of additional sanctions Europe could impose on Russia, The Times claims.
Trump is now turning to Europe, accusing their actions of frustrating the peace process. A White House source told Axios, “If Europe wants to escalate this war, that will be up to them. But they will be hopelessly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”
Previously, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an exclusive interview with Fox News that “all options are on the table” as the Trump administration considers potential sanctions on Russia, following a renewed escalation of attacks on Ukraine.
-6c7b568bf1f65853b7afd9dc1c3ca1fe.jpeg)
