 "'If we're unhappy...': Ukraine truce deadline over, Trump waits for Putin's decision")
As the deadline for a Ukraine ceasefire has passed, the US President Donald Trump indicated on that he is holding back further moves against Moscow while awaiting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s response.
Responding to media on why there has been “no action” against Russia since he took office, President Trump rejected the claim, pointing to sanctions already in place.
“Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India… that cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I haven’t done phase two yet or phase three,” he said.
Asked whether he had a message for Putin following the truce expiry, Trump said, “I have no message to President Putin. He knows where I stand, and he’ll make a decision… we’ll either be happy about it or unhappy and if we’re unhappy about it, you’ll see things happen.”
On July 14, Trump set a 50-day deadline for Putin to get to the negotiating table with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That deadline passed on September 2 and there is still no sign of a meeting between the two leaders.
President Trump has repeatedly said he will punish Russia and President Vladimir Putin if Moscow doesn’t come to the table and agree to peace talks or a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Russia has shown no signs of intending to do either, instead continuing and increasing its attacks on Ukraine as it looks to consolidate gains on the battlefield.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAnd still, Trump is holding off on releasing a big bazooka of extra sanctions and economic punishment that could hurt an already weakened Russia.
The reason for the standstill is strategic and extends beyond Russia, according to analysts, who warn that the longer Trump holds off, the more he undermines his and the US′ position.
Trump held a summit with Putin in Alaska in mid-August and subsequently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European and NATO alliance leaders at the White House.
Following those meetings, Trump said he expected Zelenskyy and Putin to hold a bilateral meeting before a trilateral meeting that would also include Trump. Zelenskyy has said Russia was doing everything it could to prevent a meeting between him and Putin, while Russia says the agenda for such a meeting was not ready.
“I am very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that, and we will be doing something to help people live,” Trump had said in an interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show.
Trump has told Zelenskyy that Washington would help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any deal. Trump has also renewed a threat to impose further sanctions on Russia if there is no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine, and Trump has said “land-swapping” and changes to territory will be crucial for any settlement.
Ukraine opposes the idea of legally recognising any Ukrainian territory as Russian. But it has tacitly acknowledged it will almost certainly have to accept some de facto territorial losses.
With inputs from agencies
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