President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to resume weapons shipments to Ukraine as Russia continues to pound the country with airstrikes and drone attacks.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/trump-told-zelensky-he-wasnt-responsible-for-weapons-holdup-f684444b?mod=hp_lead_pos4">told</a> The Wall Street Journal that per Trump&#8217;s orders, &#8220;the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops.&#8221;
“We have to, they have to be able to defend themselves,” Trump said. “They are getting hit very hard. &#8230; We’re gonna have to send more weapons.”
“I’m disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn’t stopped,” Trump added on Monday night.
Last week, it was reported that weapons shipments to Ukraine had been paused, surprising the administration in Kyiv, as well as officials in the State Department. Asked on Tuesday who ordered the pause in weapons shipments to Ukraine last week, Trump replied, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know. Why don&#8217;t you tell me?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kaitlancollins</a> on Ukraine weapon shipments: &#8220;So, who ordered the pause last week?&#8221;
President Trump: &#8220;I don&#8217;t know. Why don&#8217;t you tell me?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/k2YKFkbCK7">pic.twitter.com/k2YKFkbCK7</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1942632501538705496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump, who vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on his first day back in office, added that he wants to send Ukraine defensive weapons &#8220;because Putin is not treating human beings right. He&#8217;s killing too many people.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s move to restart weapons shipments to Ukraine comes after months of negotiations with Ukraine and Russia in hopes of reaching a peace agreement, but to no avail. After publicly berating Zelensky in the Oval Office in February, Trump has appeared to become more friendly with the Ukrainian president while ramping up his criticism of Putin. Trump spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-says-latest-call-with-trump-was-most-productive-yet">conversation</a> that Zelensky called &#8220;the most productive&#8221; talks he has had with Trump.
“We discussed air defense issues, and I’m grateful for the willingness to help. The Patriot system is precisely the key to protection against ballistic threats,&#8221; Zelensky said.
Trump also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone last Thursday and pushed him to end the war with Ukraine, a request that Putin refused, according to the Kremlin, the WSJ reported. Trump said he was &#8220;very disappointed&#8221; after the call and said they &#8220;didn&#8217;t make any progress&#8221; on a peace deal.
Shortly after the phone call between Trump and Putin, Russia launched its largest drone and missile attack on Ukraine since the start of the war.

Donald Trump

‘We Have To’: Trump To Send Ukraine More Defensive Weapons

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his latest conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump this week was the best and &#8220;most productive&#8221; he has had to date.
&#8220;Regarding the conversation with the president of the United States, which took place a day earlier, it was probably the best conversation we have had during this whole time, the most productive,&#8221; Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
&#8220;We discussed air defense issues and I&#8217;m grateful for the willingness to help. The Patriot system is precisely the key to protection against ballistic threats.&#8221;
Zelensky said the two leaders had discussed &#8220;several other important matters&#8221; that officials from the two sides would be considering in forthcoming meetings.
Trump told reporters on Friday that he had a good call with Zelensky and restated his disappointment at a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin over what he said was Moscow&#8217;s lack of willingness to work toward a ceasefire.
Asked whether the United States would agree to supply more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as requested by Zelensky, Trump said: &#8220;They&#8217;re going to need them for defense&#8230; They&#8217;re going to need something because they&#8217;re being hit pretty hard.&#8221;
Russia has intensified air attacks on Kyiv and other cities in recent weeks. Moscow&#8217;s forces launched the largest drone attack of the 40-month-old war on the Ukrainian capital hours after Trump&#8217;s conversation with Putin on Thursday.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksander Kozhukhar; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Diane Craft)

U.S. President Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy attend a meeting on the sidelines of NATO summit in The Hague

Ukraine’s Zelensky Says Latest Call With Trump Was ‘Most Productive’ Yet

Putin

Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war overnight Sunday into Monday, firing nearly 500 drones and 20 missiles into Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s major drone offensive on Russian airfields earlier this month.
Ukraine claims that it intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, adding that only 10 Russian missiles or drones hit their targets, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-drones-attack-air-force-a1b092efaaad6886659a9230109a48db">the Associated Press</a>. The Ukrainian air force said the Russians targeted the central and western areas of Ukraine, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/09/world-news/russia-launches-biggest-drone-attack-on-ukraine-since-start-of-war-with-almost-500-individual-strikes/">damaging</a> a military airfield in Dubno, which is just 40 miles from Ukraine&#8217;s border with Poland. Russia also said on Monday that its forces took more territory in Ukraine&#8217;s east-central region of Dnipropetrovsk, giving Putin&#8217;s army a &#8220;buffer zone,&#8221; Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-takes-more-territory-east-central-ukraine-creating-buffer-zone-2025-06-09/">reported</a>.
“Russia is escalating the war and has no intention of stopping it. Any escalation can only be stopped by force,” said Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attack comes as the three-year-long war has intensified despite the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to work out a peace deal between the two countries. U.S. officials <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-believes-russia-response-ukraine-drone-attack-not-over-yet-expects-multi-2025-06-07/">warned</a> over the weekend that Russia would conduct multiple strikes on Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s surprise drone attack that knocked out numerous Russian bombers. The first round of Russia&#8217;s response came on Friday when it launched a missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/05/europe/russia-launches-retaliatory-strike-on-kyiv-latam-hnk-intl">said</a> involved 400 drones and 40 missiles.
President Donald Trump, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone last week, said that Putin &#8220;strongly&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-holds-75-minute-call-with-putin-not-a-conversation-that-will-lead-to-immediate-peace?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Holds+75-Minute+Call+With+Putin%3A+%E2%80%98Not+A+Conversation+That+Will+Lead+To+Immediate+Peace%E2%80%99">insisted</a> that Russia “will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump later told reporters that he urged Putin to avoid further escalation in the war, but added that &#8220;it&#8217;s probably not going to be pretty.&#8221;
&#8220;I said: &#8216;Don&#8217;t do it. You shouldn&#8217;t do it. You should stop it,'&#8221; Trump said of his conversation with Putin. &#8220;But, again, there&#8217;s a lot of hatred.&#8221;
While little progress has been made in negotiating a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the two countries have agreed to multiple rounds of prisoner swaps, with the latest swap beginning on Monday, according to Zelensky.
&#8220;Today, an exchange began, which will continue in several stages over the coming days,&#8221; the Ukrainian president <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-war-prisoner-swap-drone-strikes-front-lines-latest/">said</a>. &#8220;Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25,&#8221; he added.

Russian troops target Zaporizhzhia with guided bombs

Russia Launches Massive Drone Attack On Ukraine As War Intensifies

Global Politics

Trump Administration

World

Over the weekend, Ukraine launched a devastating surprise attack deep inside Russian territory, damaging dozens of nuclear capable strategic bombers. The attack was launched after a series of Russian aerial bombardments of Ukrainian territory, and shortly before Ukrainian and Russian delegations were scheduled to meet in Istanbul to continue peace negotiations.
“Operation Spider’s Web” involved 117 first person-view drones, which were smuggled into Russian territory by Ukrainian operatives and positioned near key military installations across Russia, including 5 air bases in 5 separate oblasts, spread across 5 different time zones. The drones were positioned under false roofs of portable sheds, which were transported via truck and parked just outside the perimeter of their target bases, before they were launched simultaneously on Sunday.
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbITsi4jZYY">Aerial footage</a> from the attacking drones shows several Russian bombers in flames – Ukrainian officials claim that the attack hit 41 Russian aircraft, including roughly ⅓ of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, and inflicted $7 billion in damages. Many air bases, including some operated by the United States, are <a href="https://www.twz.com/air/lack-of-hardened-aircraft-shelters-leaves-u-s-airbases-vulnerable-to-china-new-report-warns">not hardened</a> against small scale drone attacks, and many of the bombers targeted by Ukraine were sitting out in the open when they were hit.
The most severe damage was dealt to Olenya Air Base in Murmansk, located in the Arctic Circle near Russia’s borders with Finland and Norway, and Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk, located in Eastern Siberia. Explosions were reported at Dyagilevo and Ivanovo Air Bases, near Moscow, but the extent of the damage is far less certain. Further east, the Ukrainka air base in Amur was targeted but unscathed, as the truck carrying the Ukrainian FPVs reportedly exploded.
<div id="attachment_928207" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-928207" class="size-large wp-image-928207" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1024x551.png" alt="" width="1024" height="551" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1024x551.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-300x162.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-768x414.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1536x827.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-2048x1103.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)</div>
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the operation was planned over the course of a year and a half. In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/02/world-news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-stunning-pearl-harbor-attack-against-russia/">praised</a> the “absolutely brilliant outcome” of Ukraine’s “longest-range operation,” adding that “Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so — we are doing everything to make Russia feel the need to end this war.”
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In a cheeky dig at the failure of Russian intelligence services to spot or stop the attack, Zelenskyy noted, &#8220;The most interesting thing &#8211; and we can already say this publicly &#8211; is that the &#8216;office&#8217; of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the FSB [Federal Security Service] of Russia in one of their regions.&#8221; The Ukrainian operatives who prepared the attack were reportedly evacuated shortly before the drones were launched.
Russia’s strategic bombing fleet is a major part of its nuclear triad, alongside its nuclear-armed submarines and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Even before the strike, Russian aerial capabilities were significantly degraded due to interrupted supply chains and the loss of airframes during the war. According to a report by <a href="https://www.dagens.com/war/aging-aircraft-and-low-production-russian-air-force-in-crisis/">Dagens</a>, in 2022 and 2023, only a few dozen new aircraft were delivered to the Russian military, and almost half of Russia’s ~1200 military aircraft were nearing the end of their service lives. Many Soviet Era designs, including the Tu-95s and Tu-22M3, no longer have active production lines and are effectively irreplaceable.
“Today will later be called a black day for Russian long-range aviation,” a Telegram channel thought to be run by Capt. Ilya Tumanov of the Russian Army <a href="https://t.me/fighter_bomber/21277">wrote</a> in the aftermath of the attack.
Russia launched a massive retaliatory strike on Sunday night, sending <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ld7ppre9vo">472</a> drones and ballistic missiles into Ukrainian airspace, which killed at least 12 Ukrainian servicemen and wounded dozens more. Some voices within Russia are calling for even harsher measures.
“We can expect a great deal of sound and fury from Moscow,” Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow with the London-based think-tank Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia program, told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraines-massive-drone-attack-deep-russia-lays-bare-putins-vulnerabili-rcna210300">NBC News</a>. “[Russia] will be working hard on convincing the United States to attempt to rein Ukraine in, in order to prevent any further damage to Russia’s means of bombarding Ukrainian cities with long range missiles… In a way, the more important question is how the United States reacts.”
President Trump was not informed of the attack before it took place. Trump ran on ending the war as quickly as possible and has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia">condemned</a> both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin for prolonging the conflict &#8212; last month, Trump said Putin had &#8220;gone absolutely CRAZY&#8221; and Zelenskyy was doing Ukraine &#8220;no favors&#8230; Everything out of his mouth causes problems.&#8221; 
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-eyes-stinging-russia-sanctions-bipartisan-proposal-bring-pain">floated</a> the possibility of increasing economic sanctions on Russia if they don’t agree to a ceasefire. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have recently co-sponsored a bill that would impose a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products. When asked on Friday if he’d support the bill, Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/01/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-trump-latam-intl">told</a> reporters, “I don’t know… I’ll take a look at it.”
It’s unclear what impact the exchange of aerial strikes will have on peace talks, which are still scheduled to begin on Monday in Istanbul, Turkey. According to Reuters, documents outlining Ukraine’s roadmap for peace include demands for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, prisoner exchanges between the two countries, and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Ukraine has dropped its demand for reparations, but will not formally recognize the annexation of de facto Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, and has so far rejected any restrictions on its military strength.
<div id="attachment_928195" style="width: 867px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-928195" class="size-large wp-image-928195" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-857x576.png" alt="" width="857" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-857x576.png 857w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-300x202.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-768x516.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-1536x1033.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.svg_-2048x1377.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 857px) 100vw, 857px" />Photo by Viewsridge via Wikimedia Commons</div>
The Russians have yet to submit a formal proposal, but have consistently demanded that Ukraine renounce any plans to join NATO. Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and has since claimed 4 oblasts in Eastern Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian forces still control portions of all 4 disputed territories: Russia has demanded withdrawal from these territories as a precondition for peace, whereas Ukraine wants to start negotiations at the current line of control.
The attack could provoke further Russian assaults, but it could also shift the perceived balance of power and make a continuation of hostilities less attractive to Moscow.
“At a time when Putin seems to think that he is winning on the battlefield, this demonstrates that his forces are in fact very vulnerable,” said Sven Biscop, a director at the Egmont Institute, a think tank in Brussels, told NBC. “This may not change the course of the war, but it does mean that every gain Russia makes will be at high cost.”

UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

How Ukraine Pulled Off Its Massive Drone Strike Inside Russia

Ahead of high-stakes peace talks in Istanbul, Ukraine says it carried out an audacious drone attack that destroyed over 40 Russian military planes at airfields, including Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Planned for over a year and overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation involved drones smuggled deep into Russia via truck containers, a Ukrainian security official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-sumy-region-18966d4b286ffb6f4e764b94a6afaf61" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press. Also noted by the news outlet, Russia conducted its own attack with 472 drones and several missiles, killing at least 12 Ukrainian service members and injuring over 60 others, according to Ukraine&#8217;s air force.
The assaults, which happened before Monday’s planned negotiations in Turkey, underscore the fragile prospects for peace.
Zelensky, <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1929145331696239049" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting</a> on X, outlined Ukraine’s demands: &#8220;First — a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second — the release of prisoners. Third — the return of abducted children.&#8221; He added: &#8220;And in order to establish a reliable and lasting peace and ensure security, preparation of the meeting at the highest level. The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders. On Monday, our delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov.&#8221;
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Russia’s state-run TASS <a href="https://x.com/tassagency_en/status/1929182444097327484" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoted</a> envoy Rodion Miroshnik accusing Kyiv of &#8220;destabilizing the situation&#8221; ahead of the talks.
President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of the war’s escalation, has taken to Truth Social to lambast both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky.
&#8220;I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent</a> post on Truth Social.
&#8220;Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and [former President Joe] Biden’s War, not &#8216;Trump’s,&#8217; I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Drone operators perform combat tasks in Zaporizhzhia direction

Ukraine Says It Obliterated 40 Russian Military Planes In Drone Attack

Drones

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he is seriously weighing tougher sanctions on Russia over its years-long war against Ukraine, a potential move backed by a bipartisan Senate supermajority eager to force Moscow’s hand, as peace negotiations falter.
In a Sunday exchange with reporters, Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1926772105401549062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he is “absolutely” considering new sanctions on Russia. Hours later, he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, calling him “CRAZY” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with continued fighting between soldiers, as well as missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. &#8220;I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; he added.
The rebuke stretched into Tuesday, with Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114580564427808609" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning</a> that Putin is “playing with fire” and claiming that “really bad things” would have already struck Russia without his restraint.
A coalition of 81 senators, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has rallied behind a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1241/text?s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> to slam Russia with fresh sanctions if Moscow refuses genuine peace talks with Ukraine or launches new attacks threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty post-agreement. The legislation also <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3D495158-CF7D-4833-A2DB-9E5558843F1B" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposes</a> a 500% tariff on goods from nations buying Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other commodities.
&#8220;While we yearn for peace, it is increasingly clear to us – and a supermajority of the Senate – that Putin is playing games,&#8221; Graham and Blumenthal declared in a joint <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-grahams-hard-hitting-sanctions-bill-has-over-80-cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last week. &#8220;The United States Senate stands ready to act if these games continue.&#8221;
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that after a two-hour call with Putin last week, Trump declared that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start,&#8221; only for the Kremlin to deny any such plans. The week prior, Putin snubbed scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, prompting Trump to insist that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.&#8221;
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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a co-signer of the Graham-Blumenthal bill, argued Tuesday that sanctions are now critical. &#8220;I believe president trump was sincere when he thought his friendship w Putin wld end the war,&#8221; Grassley <a href="https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1927369150529171572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. &#8220;Now that being the case ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS &#8216;game over.'&#8221;
Trump also took aim at Zelensky and former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social over the weekend. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Trump and Senate Republicans

Trump Eyes Stinging Russia Sanctions. This Bipartisan Proposal Could Bring The Pain.

Chuck Grassley

Congress

Lindsey Graham

Sanctions

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin has “gone absolutely CRAZY” and is focused on taking Ukraine rather than ending the war.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump warned that Putin’s ambition would wreck Russia while also criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump posted.
“He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump continued.
Hours earlier, when Trump was asked by a reporter what he intended to do about Putin, Trump <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1926766181609820177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded:</a> “We’ll see what we’re going to do. What, am I going to tell you? You&#8217;re the fake news, aren&#8217;t you? You&#8217;re totally fake.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;I don&#8217;t like what Putin is doing, not even a little bit,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;He&#8217;s killing people. And something happened to this guy, and I don&#8217;t like it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: PRESIDENT TRUMP FUMES ABOUT PUTIN
&#8220;Yeah, I&#8217;ll give you an update. I&#8217;m not happy with what Putin&#8217;s doing! He&#8217;s killing a lot of people. And I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin! I&#8217;ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him. But he&#8217;s sending… <a href="https://t.co/Az6XpL7Dqz">pic.twitter.com/Az6XpL7Dqz</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1926766181609820177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump also lashed out at Zelensky on Sunday, chiding the Ukrainian president for his rhetoric around the war.
“President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” said Trump.
“This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred,” he added.
Trump and Putin spoke on the phone for two hours last week. Afterward, Trump posted to Truth Social that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start.” Days later, the Kremlin said that no peace talks had been scheduled.
The week prior, Putin skipped peace talks with Zelensky that were set to take place in Turkey. Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/putin-trump-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-peace-turkey-istanbul-ankara-rcna206961" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together” and suggested that Putin’s absence at the talks was due to Trump himself not attending.
Trump has suggested that peace talks could take place in the Vatican and be moderated by Pope Leo. While Italy and the pope have agreed to host the talks, the Kremlin dismissed the proposal.
“Many people are fantasizing about when and where it will take place. We don&#8217;t have any ideas right now,” <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moscow-wont-allow-russian-speakers-ukraine-remain-under-rule-zelenskiys-junta-2025-05-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday. “But imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations. It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to use a Catholic platform to discuss issues on how to remove the root causes.”

Trump Says Putin Has ‘Gone Absolutely CRAZY,’ Risks ‘The Downfall Of Russia’

Executive

Politics

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that Ukraine and Russia were completing a &#8220;major&#8221; prisoner exchange as the United States continues to seek peace between the two nations.
The deal, which was agreed to last week, swaps 1,000 prisoners each between Ukraine and Russia, making it the largest prisoner exchange of the war, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump congratulated the countries on the agreement and hinted that it &#8220;could lead to something big.&#8221;
&#8220;A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114556494480941887" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social early Friday morning. &#8220;Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???&#8221;
Earlier this week, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, adding that the talks could be held at the Vatican. Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made the announcement</a> after a two-hour phone call with the Russian despot.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump said on Monday. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”
While Trump administration officials have met with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the two leaders have yet to negotiate with each other. Last week, Zelensky met with Russian officials in Turkey as Putin skipped the meeting. Trump said last Friday that he understood why Putin didn&#8217;t attend the meeting, adding that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/after-putin-blows-off-peace-talks-trump-gives-timeline-for-meeting-with-russian-prez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planned</a> to meet with the Russian president &#8220;as soon as possible.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
During the talks in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed to the prisoner swap, but Russian officials <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/world/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said they would not agree to a ceasefire unless Ukraine withdraws from four regions in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces took over in 2022.
&#8220;The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity became perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey,” Zelensky said following the meeting. “We are working to ensure this result is delivered.”
Ending the war in Ukraine has been a top foreign policy goal for President Trump, who promised on the campaign trail that the conflict would end by his first day back in the White House. Peace talks between the countries, however, have hit multiple roadblocks, and the Trump administration has suggested that it is willing to walk away from further negotiations if Ukraine and Russia don&#8217;t make progress soon.
Trump, however, remains optimistic that he can work out a deal between Putin and Zelensky to end the bloodshed, saying last week that &#8220;in two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place.&#8221;

Ukraine/Russia War

‘Lead To Something Big?’: Trump Touts ‘Major’ Prisoner Swap Between Ukraine And Russia

Prisoners

After a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would begin immediately.
In a statement following the call, Trump said he believes the call &#8220;went very well&#8221; and that the &#8220;tone and spirit of the conversation was excellent.&#8221;
&#8220;Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114535693441367601">said</a>. &#8220;The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.&#8221;
Trump added that once the &#8220;bloodbath&#8221; ends, there will be opportunities for Russia to do &#8220;largescale&#8221; trade with the United States and have &#8220;tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.&#8221;
Trump said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb immediately after his call with Putin.
Trump said that the Vatican, &#8220;as represented by&#8221; Pope Leo XIV, &#8220;has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations.&#8221;
After the call, Putin spoke to reporters on-camera and described the call as “very frank” and very useful.”
“The US president expressed his position on the cessation of hostilities, ceasefire, and from my end, I have emphasized that Russia stands for peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis,&#8221; Putin said. &#8220;We just need to outline the most effective routes of moving towards peace.&#8221;
Ahead of the call, Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine with exploding drones and decoys, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-call-putin-bid-end-russias-bloodbath-war-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News reported</a>. Eighty-eight drones were reportedly intercepted, and 128 were lost in the attack on the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions.
Trump has supported a ceasefire between the two sides, though Russia has pushed for an agreement to end the war with Ukraine making concessions. Trump has grown frustrated with both Putin and Zelensky in his efforts to bring the war to an end.
“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday before the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-confronts-zelensky-on-christian-persecution-and-conscription-in-exclusive-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEN SHAPIRO CONFRONTS ZELENSKY ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND CONSCRIPTION IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</a>
Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a> said there has been “a bit of an impasse” in the talks and that the United States is “more than willing to walk away.”
“President Putin…he doesn’t quite know how to get out of the war,” Vance said. “There is fundamental mistrust between Russia and the West. It’s one of the things that the president thinks is frankly stupid that we should be able to move beyond the stakes that have been made in the past. But it takes two to tango. I know the president is willing to do that but if Russia is not willing to do that, then eventually we will have to say ‘this is not our war.’”
Trump announced the call on Saturday, stating that he planned to talk about “stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week.”
“Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;God bless us all!!!&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Last week, Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Lands+In+Turkey+As+Putin+Skips+Meeting%2C+Russia+Calls+Him+A+%E2%80%98Clown+and+Loser%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled to Turkey</a> in the hopes of having a face-to-face conversation with Putin. When Putin did not show up, the two leaders&#8217; underlings met and successfully negotiated a prisoner swap of 1,000 people from each side, though no agreement on peace was made, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/19/trump-putin-call-ceasefire-agreement?utm_campaign=editorial&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Axios</a>. The meeting was the first direct negotiations between the two sides since March 2022.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-tells-ben-shapiro-hes-open-to-an-audit-on-how-ukraine-spends-u-s-taxpayer-dollars?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Tells+Ben+Shapiro+He%E2%80%99s+Open+To+An+Audit+On+How+Ukraine+Spends+U.S.+Taxpayer+Dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZELENSKY TELLS BEN SHAPIRO HE’S OPEN TO AN AUDIT ON HOW UKRAINE SPENDS U.S. TAXPAYER DOLLARS</a>
On Sunday, leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy urged Trump to sanction Putin if he doesn’t agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, Axios reported.
Trump has said that the war “has to stop.”
“We spent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser">$350 billion there</a> — just handed,” he said. “Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting.”
Trump added that Zelensky is the “greatest salesman, maybe in history” because “every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion.”
“That’s a good salesman, right?” Trump added. “Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.”

Argentina G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 – Day 1 Of Sessions

Trump Makes Big Announcement Following  ‘Very Frank’ Two-Hour Call With Putin

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would like to set up a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin &#8220;as soon&#8221; as possible.
Trump made the comments in Abu Dhabi as he prepared to return home to the United States at the end of his Middle East tour. He had previously floated a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin in Turkey, but the Russian president refused to attend.
&#8220;They all said Putin was going and Zelensky was going. And I said, If I don&#8217;t go, I guarantee Putin is not going, and he didn&#8217;t go,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And I understand that, but we&#8217;re going to get it we&#8217;re going to get it done. We&#8217;ve got to get it done. Five thousand young people are being killed every single week on average, and we&#8217;re going to get it done.&#8221;
While Ukrainian and Russian officials are meeting in Turkey on Friday, Trump said he believed he would have to meet with Putin to make real progress toward ending the war.
Trump said that he plans to meet Putin &#8220;as soon as we can get it set up,&#8221; noting that he had planned to meet with Putin and Zelensky after wrapping up his visit to the United Arab Emirates. He added that he wanted to go back to America to see his new grandson, whom his daughter, Tiffany, gave birth to on Thursday.
&#8220;I do want to see my beautiful grandson, a son, and we&#8217;ll be doing that, but I will, I will tell you that the world is a much safer place right now,&#8221; Trump told reporters. &#8220;And I think in two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place. We&#8217;re going to handle a couple of situations that you have here. We have some very serious situations.”
Zelensky and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul with Putin&#8217;s representatives for talks supervised by Turkish Defense Minister Hakan Fidan. While it will be the first talks between the warring nations since 2022, American officials don&#8217;t expect much to come from the meeting.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow. And frankly, at this point, I think it&#8217;s abundantly clear that the only way we&#8217;re going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin,&#8221; Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

U.S. President Donald Trump in Abu Dhabi

After Putin Blows Off Peace Talks, Trump Gives Timeline For Meeting With Russian Prez

Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Turkey today for what he hoped would be face-to-face negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead, he was met with Putin&#8217;s underlings.
On Sunday, Putin first proposed direct talks with Ukraine to bring the three-year war to a close during a televised address.
“We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions,&#8221; Putin said. &#8220;We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-offers-meet-putin-after-trump-pushes-historic-peace-talks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Agrees+To+Meet+Putin+After+Trump+Pushes+For+Historic+Peace+Talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded by challenging</a> Putin to come to Istanbul himself for a face-to-face meeting.
“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,” Zelensky <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921611690891940116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”
Instead, Russia sent aides to negotiate with the Ukrainian leader, who described them as “stand-in props,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c74nxrr7mwkt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the BBC</a>.
In response, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said “A clown and a loser is talking about respected people.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-confronts-zelensky-on-christian-persecution-and-conscription-in-exclusive-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEN SHAPIRO CONFRONTS ZELENSKY ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND CONSCRIPTION IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</a>
Russia&#8217;s delegation will be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, but meetings are still not officially scheduled, according to the BBC.
So far, Zelensky has met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara.
President Donald Trump also said he was skipping the meetings because of scheduling conflicts, despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-middle-east-trip?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here%E2%80%99s+What+You+Need+To+Know+About+Trump%E2%80%99s+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">floating the possibility</a> of attending earlier this week.
Trump said he doesn’t think it “was possible for Putin to go” if he himself wasn’t there.
&#8220;I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going?&#8221; Trump said, speaking at a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar during his four-day Gulf tour.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-middle-east-trip?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here%E2%80%99s+What+You+Need+To+Know+About+Trump%E2%80%99s+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST TRIP</a>
The President added that the war “has to stop.”
&#8220;We spent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-tells-ben-shapiro-hes-open-to-an-audit-on-how-ukraine-spends-u-s-taxpayer-dollars?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Tells+Ben+Shapiro+He%E2%80%99s+Open+To+An+Audit+On+How+Ukraine+Spends+U.S.+Taxpayer+Dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$350 billion there</a> — just handed,” he said. “Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting.”
Trump added that Zelensky is the “greatest salesman, maybe in history” because “every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion.”
“That’s a good salesman, right?&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.&#8221;
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already in Istanbul for meetings with his NATO counterparts and he and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff were planning to be present for the Russia-Ukraine talks.

COMBO-RUSSIA-UKRAINE-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-CONFLICT-WAR

Zelensky Lands In Turkey As Putin Skips Meeting, Russia Calls Him A ‘Clown and Loser’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited President Donald Trump to join in peace talks with Russia later this week.
Officials from Ukraine and Russia are expected to meet in Turkey on Thursday to begin peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. Ahead of the summit, Zelensky posted on social media that Russian President Vladimir Putin had rejected offers of a ceasefire.
“Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to come to Türkiye. Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear response from Russia to the numerous proposals for a ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X. “[Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] has expressed full readiness to host the meeting. It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting, and we would like him to find an opportunity to come to Türkiye.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to come to Türkiye. Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear response from Russia to the numerous proposals for a ceasefire.
Russian shelling and assaults continue. Moscow has remained silent all day regarding the… <a href="https://t.co/4AGiLX5Sdf">pic.twitter.com/4AGiLX5Sdf</a>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921997432231231499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
Asked earlier on Monday about whether he would attend the peace talks, Trump said he might attend if his presence is needed to move the negotiations forward.
“I think you may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. “I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I’m going to be on Thursday – I’ve got so many meetings. But I was actually thinking about flying over there. There’s a possibility if I think things can happen. But we got to get it done.”
Putin and Zelensky agreed to meet in Turkey for peace talks after Putin rejected another offer from Ukraine for a 30-day ceasefire over the weekend. Putin countered the offer with a restart to peace talks, with Turkey’s Erdoğan as host. Trump took to Truth Social to push Zelensky to accept the offer.
“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114490093180275292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>. “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”
Trump appeared to warn Putin in the message, as well.
“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War II, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America,” Trump said. The president has previously expressed frustration at Moscow for appearing recalcitrant in making progress toward peace.
Last week, Trump <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/ukraine-war-briefing-trump-calls-for-ideally-a-30-day-ceasefire-backed-with-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> for a 30-day ceasefire in fighting and suggested that the United States and its allies may punish the offending party with sanctions if no ceasefire is agreed to.

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