On Friday, President Trump firmly stated that he was not being “played” during discussions aimed at concluding the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached following remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio who suggested time was running short for the negotiations.
“We’re aiming to stop it, preferably. However, should either party make things extremely challenging for us, our response will be ‘you are being unreasonable, you are acting like fools, and you are terrible individuals; thus, we’ll simply withdraw.’ Let’s hope this scenario doesn’t arise,” Trump stated to journalists at the Oval Office.
“I believe we have a strong likelihood of resolving the issue,” Trump further stated.
When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying negotiations, which many critics suggested, Trump expressed his hope that this wasn’t the case. He also dismissed a query regarding whether he believed he might be manipulated by Russia.
“No, nobody is featuring me. I’m attempting to assist,” Trump stated.
“No one is holding back; we aim to see if we can make it happen,” he continued. “I believe we have a strong possibility of succeeding. Things are intensifying at this moment.”
Trump did not indicate whether he would keep supporting Ukraine if the peace negotiations fell through.
“I won’t say that because I believe we will accomplish it,” Trump stated.
Rubio stated earlier on Friday following discussions in Paris that the U.S. was approaching a juncture where they needed to determine if a resolution could be achieved.
“Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on,” Rubio said.
For several months, Trump has been advocating for a ceasefire in Ukraine, which has seen conflict since Russian troops launched an invasion in February 2022 following military buildup close to the border. During his campaign appearances, he claimed he could bring the war to an end even before assuming the presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has
mentioned he agreed with the 30-day truce conditions set forth by U.S. officials under the Trump administration, leaving it up to Russia now.
Experts contend that Russia is delaying and shows little interest in a truce, as it continues to make progress militarily.
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