On Friday, President Trump firmly stated that he was not being “manipulated” during discussions aimed at concluding the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed confidence about reaching an agreement soon, following remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio who suggested time was running short for the negotiations.
“We aim to stop it, preferably. However, should either party make things extremely challenging for us, our response will be: ‘You are unwise, you are foolish individuals, and we consider you terrible people, so we’ll simply withdraw.’ Nonetheless, let’s hope this scenario doesn’t unfold,” Trump stated to journalists at the White House.
“I believe we have a strong possibility of resolving the issue,” Trump also noted.
When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying matters, which many critics suggested, Trump stated his hope that this wasn’t the case. He also dismissed a query regarding whether he believed he was being manipulated by Russia.
“No, nobody is casting me. I’m attempting to assist,” Trump stated.
Nobody is holding back anything. We will see if we can make it happen,” he said additionally. “I believe we have a strong possibility of succeeding. Things are currently reaching a critical point.
Trump would not say whether he would continue to provide support to Ukraine if ceasefire talks failed.
“I’m not going to say that, because I think we’re going to get it done,” Trump said.
Rubio stated earlier on Friday following discussions in Paris that the U.S. was approaching a juncture where it needed to determine if a solution could be reached.
“Because 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, which has seen conflict since Russian troops entered following their buildup along the borders earlier this year. During his campaign appearances, he claimed that he could bring an end to the war prior to assuming the presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that 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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