Trump Signals Willingness to Step Back from Russia-Ukraine Talks After Call with Putin
Following a fresh phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled that he may withdraw from efforts to mediate peace talks between Ukraine and Russia if negotiations fail to deliver meaningful progress.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to CNN.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump told reporters that he pressed Putin on ending the war in Ukraine, asking directly when Moscow would “put an end to the bloodshed.” According to Trump, the Russian leader “wants to see it finished,” though the U.S. president acknowledged that significant obstacles remain.
“This is a bloody slaughter,” Trump said. “I asked him, ‘When will we stop this?’ And I do believe he wants to stop it. But there are very large egos involved in this conflict – enormous egos.”
Trump went on to say that if he concludes his involvement isn't helping move the process forward, he won’t hesitate to “step aside” and allow the parties to continue without U.S. mediation. “If nothing comes of it, I’ll just step back, and they’ll have to keep going on their own,” he added.
In a related development, Trump also confirmed he would not introduce new sanctions against Russia for now, citing a potential “window of opportunity” for diplomatic breakthroughs.
“I believe there’s still a chance to reach something meaningful,” he said. “And if we impose sanctions now, it might make things worse. But that moment may come.”
Trump’s reluctance to take a tougher stance on Moscow has sparked renewed debate in Washington and among European allies, especially as Putin continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
As The Gaze reported earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” for a ceasefire and a potential end to the war, following a two-hour phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday.