President on Friday indicated that his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin was diminishing “fast,” following the Kremlin’s statement that negotiations with Ukraine had been “paused.”
During an interview on “Fox and Friends,” Trump stated that upon taking office, he believed resolving the then-three-year-long -Ukraine conflict would be the “easiest” international issue to address.
“But it takes two to tango,” Trump commented after host Brian Kilmeade noted that Ukrainian President had offered to meet with Putin multiple times. “It’s remarkable how when Putin wanted to, Zelenskyy didn’t. When Zelenskyy wanted to, Putin didn’t. Now Zelenskyy wants to, and Putin’s willingness is the question.”
The specific period Trump is referencing remains unclear, as for the first time earlier this month, invited Zelenskyy to meet him if the Ukrainian president traveled to Moscow – a move that Western and Ukrainian security officials asserted was not only perilous but also did not suggest Putin was genuinely committed to good-faith negotiations.
“We are going to have to come down extremely forcefully,” Trump declared regarding Russia. “Hitting very hard with sanctions on banks and related to oil and tariffs.
“But I’ve already done it. I’ve accomplished a great deal,” he said, referencing the 50% tariffs he imposed on India and has threatened to impose on China – both of which are Russia’s primary oil importers.
“That’s not an easy undertaking. That’s a significant matter. And it creates a division with India,” he added.
While Washington has placed tariffs on U.S. imports from India, there are exceptions for items such as pharmaceuticals and electronics – categories from which the U.S. imports heavily from New Delhi.
Nevertheless, despite actions taken by European allies, Trump has not levied any new direct sanctions on Russia since his return to the White House and is facing increasing criticism for not taking more immediate measures against Putin after eight months in office.
Less than one month after a meeting described as productive, the Kremlin has “paused” discussions with Ukraine – which had failed to achieve any real progress in establishing a ceasefire – and nearly two dozen Russian drones entered Poland earlier this week, prompting a multi-nation NATO response to the threat.
“Communication channels exist; they are established, our negotiators have the opportunity to communicate through these channels, but for now, perhaps, we can speak of a pause,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, according to a Bloomberg report.
allies have been on high alert this week following the drone attack, which Trump had suggested could have been an error, but which Poland and Ukraine have vehemently denied was any kind of accident.
“We also wish that the drone attack on Poland had been a mistake,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on X on Friday. “But it was not. And we know that.”
On Friday, Russia also commenced military exercises in Belarus, which not only shares a border with Poland, but some of the drones that entered Warsaw’s airspace on Wednesday originated from the Moscow ally where Russian troops began gathering earlier this week.