Trump Admits Frustration Over Ukraine War Despite Bold Campaign Promises
President Donald Trump, now over 100 days into his second term, is privately expressing frustration over the complexity of ending the wars againts Ukraine and Gaza—conflicts he once vowed to resolve swiftly, The Gaze reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.
At a closed-door donor meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump described the Ukraine war as a growing source of concern. According to an attendee, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was difficult to negotiate with and wanted “the whole thing,” referring to Ukraine.
The war in Gaza, Trump told the same audience, was equally challenging: “They’d been fighting for a thousand years.”
Though Trump promised during his campaign that he would end both wars diplomatically—claiming he’d stop the Ukraine war “on day one”—his administration is now struggling to move peace efforts forward.
“Bluster and theatrics have their role in diplomatic high wire acts, but so do details and hard work,” said Dan Baer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Trump has since clarified that his “day one” remark was hyperbole, saying supporters understood he was joking.
Kyle Haynes, a U.S. foreign policy professor at Purdue, noted, “If he hadn’t promised such things repeatedly throughout the campaign it’d be wildly unfair to criticize him for failing to achieve them. But he did.”
Inside the administration, frustration is growing. Trump has reportedly complained that Putin “doesn’t want to end the war,” and that both Russia and Ukraine “refuse to compromise.”
He’s also expressed shock at some of Russia’s military tactics, such as bombing areas with children.
Trump’s early diplomatic efforts have faltered. His first envoy, Keith Kellogg, was sidelined after Russian complaints, and longtime friend Steve Witkoff—currently Middle East envoy—has failed to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
Vice President JD Vance recently acknowledged: “I wouldn’t say that the Russians are uninterested… We think they’re asking for too much.”
Still, the White House insists its efforts are working. “We are closer to peace in the Russia-Ukraine War than ever before,” said spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
Read more on The Gaze: Trump's Peace Deal: How a Potential Compromise Threatens Ukraine, Europe & the World