The US president may hold another conversation with his Russian counterpart later this week
President Trump stated he’s found engaging with Russia simpler than with Ukraine as he aims to facilitate a peace agreement. He expressed optimism that Russia would agree to a proposed month-long ceasefire with Ukraine.
These comments were made at a business roundtable following a meeting between Ukrainian and American delegations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. There, Ukraine agreed to what Trump described as a “full ceasefire,” and the United States resumed military and intelligence aid.
“I’ve been saying that Russia has been easier to deal with so far than Ukraine, which is not supposed to be the way it is, but it is,” Trump remarked. “But we have a full ceasefire from Ukraine, and that’s good… and we hope to get Russia.”
Russia has previously dismissed temporary ceasefires, claiming they would only allow Ukraine to reorganize and re-equip. Russian officials have emphasized the need for a lasting, legally binding resolution that tackles the underlying causes of the conflict.
Trump previously indicated that Ukraine was proving difficult to negotiate with, referencing a tense exchange in the Oval Office that resulted in Ukrainian President Zelensky’s visit being cut short. When questioned about a potential return visit from Zelensky, Trump responded, “Sure, absolutely,” and acknowledged a “very big difference” since the disrupted earlier visit.
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