A week after his Alaska summit, Trump is frustrated with Moscow’s stance on Ukraine peace
Former US President Donald Trump has once again threatened sweeping sanctions against Russia, frustrated by the lack of progress in efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he is considering “a very important decision” on whether to impose “massive sanctions, massive tariffs, or both” if Moscow continues to stall peace talks. He added that the US could also “do nothing and say it’s your fight.”
Putin vs Zelenskyy: Meeting Still Uncertain
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, confirmed that there is “no meeting planned” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He insisted Putin would only sit down with Zelenskyy once a proper agenda is prepared, something Moscow says is “not ready at all.”
This directly clashes with Trump’s claim last week that he had started arranging a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting after speaking with the Russian leader following their Alaska summit.
Tensions Rise After Russian Strike
Trump’s frustration also comes after a Russian strike on an American-owned factory in Ukraine, which triggered a fire and injured several workers. He said the attack left him “unhappy” and questioned Moscow’s willingness to move toward peace.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Russia of deliberately avoiding talks. On Thursday, he said Moscow was “trying to wriggle out of holding a meeting” because it wanted to continue its offensive.
Trump Shows Off Putin Photo, Mentions World Cup
Despite his frustration, Trump displayed a signed photo from his Alaska meeting with Putin, telling reporters the Russian leader wanted to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US.
However, Russia remains banned from the tournament due to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and has not taken part in qualifiers.
Putin Talks Optimism, War Still Rages
While Trump expressed doubts, Putin struck an optimistic note during a visit to a nuclear research center on Friday. He said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” for US-Russia relations, calling his Alaska meeting with Trump “meaningful and frank.”
But on the ground, the war shows no signs of slowing. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed and analysts estimate more than a million soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded.
Moscow still demands Ukraine surrender parts of its eastern regions while proposing to freeze the frontline in the south. Zelenskyy has dropped his earlier call for a long ceasefire before meeting Putin but insists Ukraine “cannot negotiate under the barrel of a gun.”
Security Guarantees at the Core of Peace Talks
At the heart of ongoing negotiations are security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump claimed Russia had accepted some Western guarantees for Kyiv, but Lavrov later dismissed the idea, calling it “a road to nowhere.”
Zelenskyy remains firm that Ukraine needs foreign troops stationed inside the country to prevent future Russian attacks. “When Russia raises the issue of security guarantees, I honestly do not yet know who is threatening them,” he said.
