Washington: US President Donald Trump admitted on Monday that ending the war between Russia and Ukraine has proven far more difficult than he expected. He described the personal hostility between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “unfathomable.”
Trump told reporters he once believed this conflict would be easy to resolve. “I stopped seven wars—I thought this was going to be an easy one for me, but this has turned out to be a tough one,” he said. He added that the two leaders “hate each other so much, they can’t even talk.”
During his campaign in 2023 and 2024, Trump repeatedly promised to end the war within 24 hours of returning to the White House. However, nine months into his presidency, peace efforts have stalled.
Until recently, Trump avoided directly blaming Moscow, with his administration even opposing a UN resolution in support of Ukraine. Now, he has shifted tone, calling Russia the “aggressor” and warning that tougher US actions may follow.
He said Washington is ready to sanction Moscow, but only if NATO allies agree to fully stop buying Russian oil and impose similar measures.
