On Friday, President Trump firmly stated that he was not being “played” during discussions aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached following comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio who suggested time was running short for the negotiations.
“We’re aiming to stop it, preferably. However, should one of the two sides make things extremely challenging, our response will be ‘you are being unreasonable, you are fools, and you are awful individuals; hence, we’ll simply withdraw.’ Hopefully, though, this extreme measure won’t be necessary,” Trump stated to journalists in the Oval Office.
“I think we have a good chance of solving the problem, however,” Trump added.
When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying matters, as many critics suggest, Trump stated that he sincerely hoped this wasn’t the case. He also deflected a query regarding whether he might be underestimation Russia’s influence over him.
“No, nobody is casting me. I’m attempting to assist,” Trump stated.
“No one is holding back; we aim to see if we can pull this off,” he said additionally. “In my opinion, we’ve got a strong shot at making it happen. Things are reaching a critical point right now.”
Trump did not indicate whether he would keep supporting Ukraine if the peace negotiations fell through.
“I won’t state that, as I believe we will accomplish it,” Trump stated.
Rubio stated on Friday following discussions in Paris that the U.S. was approaching a juncture where they needed to determine if a solution could be reached.
“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 their buildup along the border. During his campaign appearances, he claimed he could bring the war to an end even before assuming the presidency.
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has
said he accepted the terms of a 30-day ceasefire laid out by Trump administration officials, putting the ball in Russia’s court.
Critics have argued Russia is dragging its feet and is not interested in a ceasefire as it makes gains on the battlefield.
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