President Trump expressed his “disappointment” with Russian President Vladimir Putin following threats of sanctions against Moscow regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, stating that he “is not finished with him.”
“I’m disappointed with him, but I’m not going to finish with him, but I’m disappointed with him,” Trump remarked during an interview with the BBC, which was published on Tuesday morning.
His remarks followed his announcement of a new commitment with NATO to supply additional weaponry, including patriot missile systems, to Ukraine. He also warned Russian trade partners of imposing “severe” tariffs if a ceasefire is not achieved within 50 days.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded on Tuesday by labeling Trump’s statements as “very serious.”
“Some of them are personally directed at President Putin,” Peskov noted. “We need time to analyze what’s been said in Washington, and if Putin finds it necessary, he will certainly respond.”
When asked by the BBC about trusting Putin, Trump replied, “I almost trust no one.”
The new agreement outlines that Ukrainian weapon supplies will come from European NATO allies, nations that have recently committed to boosting defense budgets at the alliance summit.
Trump has escalated his rhetoric regarding Putin in recent weeks, noting that Russian authorities have failed to make headway in achieving a ceasefire in the Eastern European conflict, which has persisted for more than three years.
“I always hung up the phone… ‘It was a good call,’ and then the missiles were launched in Kiev and other cities,” Trump reflected during a meeting on Monday with NATO executive director Mark Latte. “It happens three or four times. You realize that the story means nothing.”
He shared similar thoughts during his conversation with the BBC, stating, “We have a great conversation. They say, ‘That’s good, I think we’re approaching getting it done.'”
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its military actions in Ukraine recently, executing record drone assaults across various cities, including Kiev earlier this month.
