US President Donald Trump told European leaders that Vladimir Putin is not ready to end the war because he considers himself a winner, writes The Wall Street Journal citing informed sources, noting that Trump acknowledged this fact directly for the first time.
«This acknowledgment was something that European leaders had long understood about Putin, but it was the first time they heard it from Trump. It also contradicts what Trump often said publicly: he believes that Putin sincerely wants peace», — the publication writes.
However, this understanding did not prompt Trump to do what Europeans and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expected from him — to increase pressure on Russia.
According to WSJ sources, the day before the conversation with Putin, Trump held a meeting with European leaders and during the discussion indicated that he might impose sanctions if Putin refuses to ceasefire. However, by Monday he had changed his mind again, abandoning the plans, stating that he wants to quickly start lower-level negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the Vatican.
«This is not my war. We got involved in something we shouldn't have been involved in», — Trump told reporters after the conversation with Putin.
For Europe, this confirmed that the support for Ukraine largely falls on their shoulders. According to WSJ sources, in Europe, they believe that the Trump administration will not stop exporting American weapons as long as they are paid for by Europe or Ukraine.
Some Europeans on Monday insisted that the result of any negotiations in the Vatican, which are to begin in mid-June, should be an unconditional ceasefire. But Trump again dodged the answer, stating that he does not like the term «unconditional». He said he never used this term, although he used it when calling for a 30-day ceasefire in a post on his social platform Truth on May 8.
Trump's reluctance to push Russia towards a truce indicates that he is willing to step back from participating in the negotiations. Moreover, it is likely that Trump is no longer interested in imposing sanctions against Moscow for disrupting the negotiations, as the main goal for the American leader is business development and maximizing economic opportunities.
Photo: AFP