Trump openly admits: Putin does not plan to end the war in Ukraine because he considers himself the winner
Amid increasing tensions and confirmations of the ongoing struggle for Ukrainian independence, former U.S. President Donald Trump made a sensational statement that could significantly impact the course of events surrounding the war. According to sources within American and European circles, during a telephone conversation with European leaders on Monday, May 19, Trump revealed the truth about Vladimir Putin’s true attitude toward the conflict in Ukraine. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing three anonymous sources familiar with the negotiations’ details, Trump acknowledged: Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of stopping the war in Ukraine because he is convinced of his victory. This admission was a great surprise for European leaders, who had previously hoped that Moscow was ready for negotiations and peace talks. For the first time, they heard from the former American leader honest words that confirmed their worst fears — about Putin’s inflexibility and his confidence in his triumph. Trump himself, who had previously spoken cautiously about Russian aggression, now allowed himself more candid statements. Although he acknowledged the reality of the prolonged war, he did not support pressure on Russia from Ukraine and Europe. Prior to this, on Sunday, ahead of a two-hour conversation with Putin, Trump communicated with European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Kira Starmer. During this discussion, he stated that the U.S. could impose new sanctions on Russia if the Kremlin refused to cease fire, but already the next day, his rhetoric underwent significant change. On Monday, Trump emphasized that the U.S. does not intend to participate in the war in Ukraine: “This is not my war. We got involved in something we shouldn’t have,” — journalists quote him. At the same time, he did not express a desire to actively support Ukrainian defense through new sanctions or increased military aid. It is known that the day before, he had spoken about the possibility of using administrative resources and imposing sanctions on Russian energy and financial sectors, but by the next day, his activity in this area diminished. Analysts explain that for European politicians, the situation became clear: Putin currently has no intention of compromise, and his conviction in his own victory benefits Moscow, which continues to win in this war. This means that Ukrainian forces and their Western allies remain alone in the fight, and the burden of supporting Ukraine entirely falls on Europe and the U.S. According to sources in Europe, the Trump administration likely will continue to export American weapons as long as Ukraine or its Western partners pay for it. Such attitudes and approaches may cause concerns about the unity of international support. An important aspect in the news is a series of diplomatic meetings that took place beforehand — on Sunday, Trump consulted with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Kira Starmer. Specifically, Trump announced that he would send his Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Kitt Kellogg to participate in future negotiations at the Vatican, aimed at achieving an unconditional ceasefire. However, he refrained from supporting the term “unconditional” — although earlier, on May 8, on the social network Truth Social, in communication with supporters, he called for a 30-day ceasefire. This indicates that the U.S. position on ending the war remains ambiguous — while the White House does not support expanding sanctions against Russia, it emphasizes diplomacy and economic cooperation with Moscow. This raises concerns among many allies, including NATO members and Ukrainian partners, who feel that their pressure and efforts may be futile. European leaders and high-level deputies note that as long as Moscow does not take steps toward peace, the war will continue, and a ceasefire currently seems unattainable. In conclusion, it can be said that, according to the former U.S. president and current presidential candidate, the truth about the current state of the Russia-Ukraine war is that, officially, Putin does not intend to stop hostilities and considers himself the winner. This opens the way for long-term struggle and new challenges for the entire world, particularly Ukraine and its Western allies.