Trump’s conflicting messages reveal Putin’s war intentions
Donald Trump has revealed that Vladimir Putin does not plan to end the war in Ukraine, as he is confident of his victory. This surprising admission is said to have been made during a phone call with European leaders.
What do you need to know?
- Donald Trump acknowledged during a call with European leaders that Vladimir Putin is not ready to cease the war in Ukraine because he believes he is winning.
- Despite previous announcements, Trump did not agree to impose new sanctions against Russia, which left European leaders disappointed.
- European leaders are concerned that support for Ukraine may have to come primarily from Europe, as the Trump administration does not plan to stop U.S. arms exports.
Why won't Putin end the war?
During a phone call with European leaders, Donald Trump acknowledged that Vladimir Putin does not plan to end the war in Ukraine because he is confident of his victory, reports "The Wall Street Journal," citing three sources familiar with the matter.
This admission surprised European leaders, who heard such words from Trump for the first time. These words confirmed what European leaders had long suspected about Putin, but it was the first time they heard it from Trump. The reported comments from Trump contradict his public statements, where he repeatedly assured that Putin sincerely desires peace.
Despite previous declarations about the imposition of sanctions, Trump decided not to take such a step.
Will the US impose new sanctions?
During an earlier conversation with European leaders, Trump suggested the possibility of imposing sanctions on the Russian energy and financial sectors. However, the very next day, he retracted this idea, showing less interest in the US participating in this process.
European leaders pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, but Trump refused to use the term "unconditional," even though he had previously used it on social media.
A completely different account of Trump
As reported earlier, during a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders, Donald Trump informed them that he had asked Vladimir Putin to offer something in negotiations that they could agree to.
Donald Trump publicly stated that his conversation with Vladimir Putin went very well, and that Russia and Ukraine would immediately begin negotiations on a ceasefire.
A source from the Axios portal also claimed that later in the conversation, the US President announced that Putin agreed to immediately start direct negotiations on a ceasefire. There was a moment of surprising silence. The President also suggested that Putin would present a "peace memorandum" with conditions to end the conflict. - This is something Ukraine and Europeans can agree on – Trump reportedly said.
