Trump claims he wants ‘deal with Russia’

2025-06-28 10:57:55

(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to broker a peace agreement with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday en route to the NATO Summit in The Hague, Trump was asked about the summit's final declaration possibly condemning Russia. He responded, “I’ll have to take a look at it. But, you know, I’d like to see a deal with Russia.”

Trump also referenced a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin offered to mediate with Iran. Trump declined the offer but stressed his priority was resolving the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy.

Since resuming office in January, Trump has worked to rebuild relations with Moscow, which had deteriorated under former President Joe Biden. Russia has welcomed the renewed outreach and expressed openness to normalizing ties.

Trump’s diplomatic efforts have contributed to restarting direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which had stalled since 2022. Negotiations resumed in Türkiye last month and have already led to several prisoner and body exchanges. Under a June 2 agreement, both sides exchanged drafts of potential roadmaps toward a peace settlement.

Despite this progress, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian territory, including drone strikes and sabotage on railways in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, resulting in casualties. Russia has accused Ukraine of trying to sabotage the peace process.

Trump has criticized both parties, warning that the U.S. might impose sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine if they fail to reach a resolution. He has so far resisted European calls for additional sanctions on Moscow, citing concerns that new punitive measures could derail the fragile negotiations.

Russian President Putin has reiterated Moscow’s readiness for talks without preconditions, emphasizing that any long-term agreement must acknowledge the current territorial realities and include Ukrainian neutrality. Talks between the parties are ongoing, with a third round of negotiations under discussion.

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