“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns over the last few days,” Trump fumed on social media. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently.”
Trump suggested he might soon announce new sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin as a sign of his growing skepticism.
Meanwhile, Zelensky posted on X, “Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.”
A Shift in Trump’s Stance
Earlier in the week, businessman Steve Witkoff met with Putin at the Kremlin with a broad smile, offering no public criticism of Russia’s deadly Wednesday night attack on Kyiv — the deadliest in almost a year.
However, after meeting with Zelensky on Saturday night, Trump appeared to be adopting a harder line against Putin.
Access to any American president is a precious commodity in Washington, but with Trump, timing is everything. As Zelensky discovered, a few quiet moments of funeral diplomacy can sometimes change the course of history.
