US President Donald Trump seemingly admitted his high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin did not produce the ceasefire he had hoped for in Ukraine.
Speaking in the Oval Office to Reagan Reese of the Daily Caller, Trump said he believed he had been close to securing a deal but came away empty-handed. “We’re talking about a lot of lives. We’re not talking about something that I started. I inherited this war. And all I’m trying to do is put out the flame, you know. And I thought I had it done,” Trump said.
Claim that he “ended” other wars
The US president repeated his claim that he had previously ended “seven wars,” despite doubts raised by multiple reports. “I did it with wars that were tougher than this in terms of nobody. So three of those wars are going on for more than 30 years, and I got them all done. This war is just, it’s been very difficult. It’s been a difficult war,” he told Reese.
Frustration with lack of progress
Trump has frequently hit back at critics who argue his meeting with Putin failed to move the Russian leader towards peace. But he now admitted that a direct meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks unlikely for the foreseeable future. “That’s why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting, stupidly, keep fighting,” Trump said.
Trump leans on ties with Putin
Trump suggested that his “good relationship” with Putin would have been enough to reach a settlement, but acknowledged that it had not worked out. Even so, he insisted he would not commit American troops to Ukraine. “If I could stop that and have a plane flying around the air every once in a while, it’s going to be mostly the Europeans, but we, we’d help them. They, you know, they sort of need it, and we’d help them if we could get something done,” he said.
Interview sparks health rumours jab
Reese promoted her interview by addressing speculation about Trump’s health. Sharing a photo of herself on a walk with him, she wrote on social media, “He’s very much alive! More coming soon.” Trump, however, kept his focus firmly on the war, repeating his belief that peace is still possible, though not on the timeline he once imagined.