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 be reached soon 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, our response will be ‘you are being unreasonable, you are unwise individuals, and we consider you terrible people,’ after which we’ll choose not to proceed. Nonetheless, let’s hope this isn’t necessary,” Trump stated to journalists at the Oval Office.
“I believe we have a strong possibility of resolving the issue,” Trump further stated.
When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying matters, as many critics suggest, Trump expressed his hope that this wasn’t the case. He also deflected a query regarding whether he might be being manipulated by Russia.
“No, nobody is casting me. I’m attempting to assist,” Trump stated.
“Nobody’s playing anybody. We are going to see if we can get it done,” he added. “I think we have a really good chance of getting it done. And it’s coming to a head right now.”
Trump would not say whether he would continue to provide support to Ukraine if ceasefire talks failed.
“I won’t state that, as 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 solution could be reached.
“If it isn’t, then I believe we’ll simply proceed,” Rubio stated.
For several months, Trump has been advocating for a ceasefire in Ukraine, where conflict has persisted since Russian forces launched an invasion in February 2022 following troop buildups close to the frontier. During his campaign appearances, he claimed he could bring the war to a halt 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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