The interview was recorded while Trump was in the Middle East and broadcast as he was returning to Washington from a tour that took him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he “may” call Putin to get peace talks on track “as soon as we can set it up.”
Ukraine and Russia on Friday held their first direct talks in more than three years, mediated by Turkey. Yet while the two sides agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners in coming days, expectations going into the meeting were low after Putin decided not to attend — sending only a low-level delegation and declining to commit to a ceasefire proposal.During the talks in Istanbul, the Russians repeated maximalist demands, including their country’s control of five regions of Ukraine.
Earlier: Russia, Ukraine Discussed Truce, Prisoner Swap in Talks
Trump had floated the possibility of joining the talks in Turkey, but eventually ruled out that option once it became clear that Putin would not be there. The American president has said he believes there will be no resolution of the war until he meets with Putin.
“He wanted this meeting and I always felt there can’t be a meeting without me because I don’t think a deal’s going to get through,” Trump told Fox News host Bret Baier.Trump again lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has borne the brunt of his pressure for an end to the war that began in February 2022 with Russia’s invasion.
Trump lamented the US assistance provided to defend Ukraine, repeating his claim that the Ukrainian leader doesn’t “have the cards” to hold off Russia.
“I hated to see the way it was — you know, excuse me — pissed away,” Trump said in the Fox News interview, referring to the American aid.
Zelenskiy had said he was willing to meet with Putin in Turkey; Kyiv and its allies in Europe want Russia to commit to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
Putin has shown little inclination to negotiate, however, in part because his army is making slow but steady progress in a brutal war of attrition.
European leaders have accused Putin of undermining the talks and pressed to impose harsher sanctions on top of already stiff penalties unless Russia eases up on its attacks. Trump has suggested additional sanctions in the past and US officials have also prepared options for to increase economic pressure on Moscow, but it is unclear if he is willing to do so.
In the interview, he downplayed the idea of ratcheting up pressure on Putin with sanctions.
“Nobody uses leverage better than me,” Trump said. “I will use that if I have to. I’d rather not use that.”
