Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that handling Ukraine has been more challenging than dealing with Russia during ongoing peace efforts.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Friday, President Trump emphasized that cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on peace efforts has been going well, whereas negotiations with Ukraine have proven to be more difficult.
Just hours earlier, Trump had hinted at the possibility of imposing additional sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire with Ukraine is reached.
Trump’s comments follow a tense exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week at the White House. After criticizing Zelensky, Trump cut off U.S. military assistance and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv.
On Thursday night, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In response, Trump suggested imposing further sanctions on Russia, despite the country already facing heavy restrictions.
Trump also made controversial remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions, stating, “I think he’s hitting them [Ukraine] just as much as they’re hitting him. I believe anyone in that position would do the same.” He added that while he believes Putin wants to end the war, he is unsure of Ukraine’s intentions.
When asked why he halted aid to Kyiv, Trump responded, “I want to know if they [Ukraine] want to resolve the issue because I’m not sure what their intentions are.”
Trump’s direct diplomacy with Putin has surprised NATO allies, as Western nations have largely severed ties with Moscow following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Despite tensions between Trump and Zelensky, U.S. foreign policy officials have taken a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine in recent days. Washington reportedly wants Zelensky to agree to a deal that would give U.S greater access to its mineral resources while pushing for an early ceasefire with Moscow.
Zelensky, in return, is seeking strong security guarantees for Kyiv as part of any potential agreement. On Friday, Trump suggested that such guarantees could be discussed later, calling them an “easy step.”
Additionally, Maxar confirmed that the U.S. had temporarily suspended Ukraine’s access to certain high-resolution satellite imagery under the GE GD program. These images are crucial for military forces to monitor enemy movements during war.
Next week, senior Trump administration officials are set to meet with Zelensky’s team in Saudi Arabia, as pressure mounts on Ukraine to accept Trump’s terms.
Zelensky has expressed hope for “meaningful” negotiations, stating on Friday that Ukraine is “ready for peace as soon as possible” and has put forward “concrete steps” to achieve it.
He further emphasized, “Every day, Russia’s new attacks prove that it must be forced into peace.”
