During a meeting in Rome on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump raised the prospect of further sanctions against Russia and expressed skepticism about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin genuinely seeks to end the conflict in Ukraine.
This conversation follows a tense in-person discussion between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, their first face-to-face encounter since the tumultuous Oval Office meeting characterized by raised voices. Their meeting took place shortly before the funeral of Pope Francis.
Trump criticized Putin’s recent missile strikes on civilian populations, stating, “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” in a post on Truth Social.
He also speculated, “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
The White House characterized the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy as “very productive,” although details regarding their discussions were not disclosed.
Zelenskyy characterized the encounter as a “good meeting” and noted its potential significance, stating, “Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”
As pressures mount for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, Trump has been making overtures for negotiation. Earlier this week, he proposed a peace plan that, according to reports, included recognizing Crimea as part of Russia—a condition that Zelenskyy has firmly stated is unacceptable.
He targeted former President Barack Obama in his comments, suggesting that Obama “made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired.”
In a recent interview, Trump stated, “Crimea will stay with Russia,” adding that Zelenskyy “understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time. It’s been with them long before Trump came along.”
Following Trump’s remarks, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s claim to Crimea.
Additionally, Trump indicated on Friday that both Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal,” urging that both parties should meet at “very high levels to ‘finish it off.’ “
“Most of the major points are agreed to,” he claimed on Truth Social.
