Trump openly confesses shielding Putin regarding Ukraine: "He's dabbling with fire!"
President Donald Trump asserted on Tuesday that he has been safeguarding Russian President Vladimir Putin due to Putin's unwillingness to halt or even diminish the conflict in Ukraine.
For months, Trump's appeals for peace talks or a ceasefire have been disregarded, leading him to confess that he has shielded Putin in discussions regarding Russia's recent attacks in Ukraine.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump stated, "If it weren't for me, some truly detrimental events would have already occurred for Russia. And I mean truly detrimental."
Despite this admission, Trump hinted that he may soon impose penalties on Putin for persisting with the invasion of Ukraine. "He's treading on thin ice," Trump declared without elaboration.
Putin's close advisor, Dmitry Medvedev, countered Trump's remarks, cautioning that "I only know of one bad thing - WW III."
Meanwhile, the pro-Kremlin RT News channel opted to mock Trump's display of toughness, observing that he has regularly retreated after making prior threats against Putin, both on political matters and trade. "Trump's message leaves little room for misinterpretation," the channel tweeted. "Until he posts the opposite tomorrow morning."
Putin has previously dismissed several outbursts from Trump, including labeling the U.S. president's recent call for an end to " irrational" airstrikes as an "emotional reaction."
During his election campaign, Trump pledged to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, but progress towards that goal has been minimal since his presidency commenced four months ago.
Trump maintains that Putin desires an end to the war, but his primarily pro-Russian strategy seems to have backfired by providing Putin with little incentive to make concessions.
Trump has conceded to Russia's demands that Ukraine be permanently barred from joining NATO and must relinquish Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea. Yet, he appears to have gained little in return from Putin. Instead, the Russians seem confident they can seize more ground on the battlefield and eventually secure a more favorable deal when or if they choose to terminate the war they initiated by invading their sovereign neighbor in 2022.
Months ago, Trump demanded that both sides accept his unilateral call for a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed, but Putin snubbed Trump and has persistently refused to cease hostilities. Instead, Russia has escalated assaults on the front lines in occupied Ukraine and on civilian targets in Kyiv and other cities.
Despite Putin's persistence in defying Trump's pleas, the U.S. president has declined to make Putin pay a price for his disregard. Trump continues to praise Russia as a prospective lucrative trade partner and articulates his hope for a face-to-face summit soon, which sends mixed signals to the Kremlin.
Trump's inconsistent approach, past sympathetic views toward Putin, and reluctance to impose stringent sanctions or take decisive action against Russia have led critics to question his commitment to Ukraine and whether his actions have inadvertently supported Putin's aggression.
In light of Trump's apparent reluctance to impose penalties on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, critics have questionned his commitment to the country, suggesting that his inconsistent approach and past sympathetic views towards Putin could be inadvertently supporting Putin's aggression. Furthermore, the general news has been filled with discussions on the conflict in Ukraine, politics, and Trump's relationship with Putin, often intertwined with debates about war-and-conflicts and crime.
