Trump's Doubts Surface Amidst Zelenskyy Meeting at Pope's Funeral
Trump voices skepticism over Putin's readiness to conclude Ukraine conflict following encounter with Zelenskyy at Pope's funeral ceremony.
In stark contrast with the optimistic tones of the day, President Donald Trump voiced fresh uncertainty about the prospect of a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his one-on-one meeting with Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at Pope Francis' funeral.
Upon departing the historic event, Trump took to social media to air his skepticism, stating, "Russian rockets blasting into populated cities and towns over the past few days? Seems Putin doesn’t want to end the war; he just seeks to mess with me. Maybe we need to deal with him through financial sanctions or covert operations. Too many lives are at stake."
The impromptu gathering in St. Peter's Basilica marked the first face-to-face interaction between Trump and Zelenskyy since an intense exchange at the White House in February. The meeting, captured in symbolic images released by the Ukrainian government, generated hope for an end to Russia's relentless assault on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy and Trump reportedly discussed a range of topics in private, and the Ukrainian president expressed optimism about their discussion, stating, "We had a lengthy, private discussion. I’m hoping for breakthroughs on all the points we covered, with a particular focus on protecting civilians, ensuring a complete ceasefire, and achieving a lasting peace to prevent future conflicts."
As tensions escalated between the global leaders in recent days, the positive dialogue between Trump and Zelenskyy was a refreshing change of pace. However, Trump's comments on social media raised questions about the prospects of achieving a lasting peace.
Trump Goes on the Offensive Against Putin
Trump's condemnation of Putin took center stage on his social media platform, as he questioned the Russian president's motives behind the continued attacks on civilian areas. "Why would Putin keep firing missiles into populated cities and towns? It’s as if he enjoys the bloodshed. It seems he’s just tapping me along and needs to be dealt with differently, requiring financial sanctions or underhanded methods. Enough lives are being lost."
As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters its fifth year, Trump and his administration have stepped up efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and seek a peaceful resolution. These recent comments presented a stark contrast with Trump's positive assessment made the previous day, in which he claimed the two sides were "extremely close to reaching a deal."
Russian President Putin chose not to attend Pope Francis' funeral and instead, faced an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
In recent months, Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, with a particularly devastating attack on Kyiv on Thursday claiming lives and injuring dozens. Since the inception of the Ukrainian conflict in 2022, Russia has gained control over several regions, including Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
One of the territories proposed in Trump's peace plan for ending the war is Crimea, the strategically-important peninsula along the Black Sea seized by Russia in 2014. President Zelenskyy has reiterated his commitment to keeping Ukrainian territory intact, stating it is contrary to the Ukrainian constitution.
Sources:
- UK, France, Germany, US, Ukraine Representative, Zelenskyy's Administration Meet in London
- Putin and US Envoy Conduct Constructive and Productive Meeting in Moscow
- Despite the optimistic tone of the meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Pope Francis' funeral, Trump later expressed doubt about a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on LinkedIn.
- Trump's comments on LinkedIn suggested he was considering financial sanctions and covert operations as alternative methods to deal with Putin, stating that too many lives are at stake.
- As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with a recent attack on Kyiv leaving casualties, Trump has stepped up efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and seek a peaceful resolution, including proposing Crimea as one of the territories in his peace plan.
- The days following the funeral saw a stark contrast in Trump's comments regarding the potential peace deal, as he posted criticisms of Putin's actions on social media, questioning the Russian president's motives and expressing skepticism about achieving a lasting peace.
