Trump claims Putin will be more 'generous' in peace talks than 'difficult' Ukraine
President Donald Trump on Friday, after decrying Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine and threatening sanctions until it stopped attacking, also said he thought Vladimir Putin would be "generous" in peace talks and described Ukraine as "difficult."
Answering questions from reporters in the Oval Office, Trump, while repeating that sanctions threat he posted earlier in the day, had positive words about the Russian president.
"He wants to end the war and once ended, and I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be. And that's pretty good," Trump said.
Asked whether he still believed Putin when he told him he wanted peace, Trump replied he did.
"Yeah. No, I believe him, I believe him. I think we’re doing very well with Russia," he said. "But right now, they're bombing the hell out of Ukraine and Ukraine. I'm -- I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. They don’t have the cards."
Hours earlier, after Russian forces launched missiles and drones into Ukraine, Trump on Friday threatened Russia with sanctions and tariffs until it negotiated a ceasefire and peace deal.
"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you," Trump posted on Truth Social Friday morning without further details.
Russia's major attack on Ukraine included 261 missiles and drones that targeted energy and gas infrastructure in various regions, according to Ukrainian officials.
The Biden administration previously issued sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine three years ago.
The Trump administration also paused military aid and intelligence data with Ukraine this week, following last week's explosive argument between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.
Zelenskyy pushed back on Trump and Vance during the meeting and reiterated that Putin has gone back on negotiations and harmed his country.
Trump was asked if Putin was taking advantage of the void left by the U.S. dropping its aid to Ukraine.
"I think he’s doing what anyone else would do. I think he’s hitting them harder. He wants to get it ended. I think Ukraine wants to get it ended but I don’t know," the president said, adding that the war should not have started.
Trump also reiterated his stance that he was willing to stop assisting Ukraine altogether.
"i have to know that they want to settle. I don't know that they want to settle. If they don't want to settle, we're out of there -- because we want them to settle," he said of Ukraine.
