Trump says 'very disappointed' in Putin
"We had a great relationship, I'm very disappointed," US President Donald Trump says of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Sep 2) he was "very disappointed" by Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s failure to strike a Ukraine peace deal, but he offered no clear indication of what consequences Moscow might face.
Since meeting Putin in Alaska last month, Trump has pressed the Kremlin chief to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Instead, Russia has escalated its bombing of Kyiv, drawing renewed criticism from Washington and European capitals.
"I'm very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that," Trump told the Scott Jennings radio show. "We had a great relationship, I'm very disappointed." He stopped short of saying what action the United States would take if the deadline he set for a deal that is due to expire this week.
CONSEQUENCES UNCLEAR
Trump has at times threatened sanctions on Moscow, but he has also suggested letting Russia and Ukraine "fight it out". On Tuesday, he said only that he would be "doing something to help people live" without elaborating.
Asked later in the Oval Office if he had spoken to Putin recently, Trump hinted at new developments: "I have learned things that will be very interesting, I think in the next few days you'll find out." He added that "there will be" consequences if Putin and Zelenskyy fail to meet.
RUSSIA, CHINA, NORTH KOREA TIES
Despite growing military ties between Russia, China and North Korea, Trump insisted he was not worried. Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of a military parade, with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un also in attendance.
"I'm not concerned at all, no," Trump told the radio show. "We have the strongest military in the world by far and they would never use their military on us. That would be the worst thing they could ever do."
US CONSIDERING OPTIONS
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week that Washington was reviewing its response to Moscow’s actions. Since the Alaska summit, he noted, Putin had intensified airstrikes despite earlier signals that he was open to negotiations.
"As a matter of fact, he has, in a despicable manner, increased the bombing campaign," Bessent told Fox News. "So I think with President Trump, all options are on the table, and I think we'll be examining those very closely this week."
