Trump Labels Russia the Aggressor for the First Time – Politico
U.S. President Donald Trump has, for the first time, explicitly described Russia as the aggressor in its war against Ukraine.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Politico.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday while speaking to reporters about battlefield casualties.
He said that around 8,000 soldiers from both sides had been killed over the past week. “Some more from Russia, but when you’re the aggressor, you lose more,” Trump added.
The acknowledgment marks a departure from Trump’s earlier stance, when he repeatedly avoided blaming Moscow directly for the war.
As recently as February, the U.S. joined Russia and North Korea in voting against a United Nations resolution affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Washington also declined to back a G7 statement that labeled Russia the aggressor.
In April, Trump went so far as to blame Kyiv, arguing that Ukraine could not realistically wage war against a country “twenty times bigger” and expect to prevail with only limited Western support.
Over the summer of 2025, however, Trump’s position began to harden. His administration has stepped up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who resisted Trump’s attempts to broker direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Analysts view the latest comments as evidence that Washington is now pursuing a more confrontational policy toward the Kremlin.
The U.S. president has also criticized European sanctions on Russia as insufficient, urging allies to adopt stronger measures.
He recently previewed a new wave of American sanctions that could target Russia’s banking sector and its lucrative oil industry.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham welcomed the tougher approach, insisting that European governments should support Trump’s plan and also take action against countries that continue trading with Moscow.
Despite the sharper rhetoric, Trump has not closed the door to negotiations. He has previously suggested that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin might still be possible, though difficult to arrange.
The president also reminded reporters that he has “stopped seven wars” during his political career and remains intent on halting the war in Ukraine.
Some media outlets have speculated that Trump and Putin could potentially meet in Malaysia on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN summit later this year.
As The Gaze reported earlier, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress is prepared to move forward with new sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that lawmakers are willing to work with the White House and Senate to advance measures aimed at ending the Russian-Ukrainian war.