Ahead of President Donald Trump’s high-stakes upcoming meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he warned of “very severe consequences” if there’s no end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump issued the warning on Wednesday as he is preparing for a sit-down with Putin in Alaska this Friday.
“Yes, they will. There will be consequences,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question on the topic. The president then refused to elaborate on what the punishment would be.
“I don’t have to say. There will be very severe consequences,” he added.
Trump later appeared to cast doubt on whether he could convince Putin to stop attacking Ukrainian civilians.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ve had that conversation with him. I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home or a rocket hit an apartment building, and people are laying dead in the streets,” Trump said.
“So, I guess the answer to that is no, because I’ve had this conversation. I want to end the war. It’s Biden’s war, but I want to end it. I’ll be very proud to end this war, along with the five other wars I ended. But, I guess the answer to that is probably no,” Trump continued.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Wednesday that there is “no sign” that Russia is preparing to end the war in Ukraine.
“At present, there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war. Our coordinated efforts and joint actions – of Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and all countries that seek peace – can definitely compel Russia to make peace,” Zelenskyy said on X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly declared Saturday morning that Ukraine will not surrender any territory to Russia — underscoring that such concessions are prohibited under the Ukrainian Constitution. (RELATED: Ukraine Will Not Cede Land, Zelenskyy Insists Ahead Of Trump-Putin Summit)
In a video address, Zelenskyy stressed that only Ukraine can legitimately participate in any decisions affecting its borders, calling any arrangement without Kyiv “dead decisions” — unlikely to work. He affirmed Ukraine’s willingness to pursue a durable peace but insisted that it cannot come at the expense of its sovereignty or be brokered behind its back.
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