US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction after yesterday’s phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, as the Russian president showed no willingness to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. Washington’s diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine appear to have reached a deadlock, while Trump faces increasing pressure – even from members of the Republican Party – to intensify pressure on Putin to come to the negotiating table.
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After the phone call with Putin, the American president said he plans to communicate today with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, as he told reporters upon returning to Washington after a visit to Iowa. “I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had with President Putin because I don’t believe he’s there and I’m very disappointed,” Trump emphasized and added: “I’m just saying he’s not thinking of stopping and that’s very bad. I didn’t make any progress with him.”
During their conversation, which lasted nearly an hour, Trump and Putin did not discuss the recent US decision to halt the provision of some military equipment to Ukraine, noted Yuri Ushakov, adviser to the Russian president. For his part, Trump told reporters during his departure for Iowa that “we haven’t” completely stopped providing weapons to Ukraine and accused his predecessor Joe Biden of sending so much military equipment to Kiev that he risked weakening US defense. “We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many weapons. But we’re giving weapons,” he said.
President Trump on call with Putin: “I didn’t make any progress with him today at all.” pic.twitter.com/02rcktkB2p
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Trump: Biden emptied our country by giving them weapons and we need to ensure we have enough for ourselves
“And we’re working with them and trying to help them, but we haven’t (stopped completely). You know, Biden emptied our country by giving them weapons and we need to ensure we have enough for ourselves,” he continued.
It’s worth noting that the US decision to halt the shipment of some weapons surprised Ukraine and has caused confusion regarding Trump’s views on the conflict. Last week, the American president had stated that he would try to send a Patriot anti-aircraft system to Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials spoke with the American envoy in Kiev on Wednesday to highlight the importance of the military aid their country receives from Washington and to warn him that halting the provision of some weapons would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
