Trump hardens tone on Russia, but still says they are easier to deal withpublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
US President Donald Trump’s tone on Russia seemed to have
hardened slightly, in a social media post earlier today. But in his most recent comments he sounds sceptical of Ukraine’s leadership and
their willingness to come to the negotiating table.
Speaking in the Oval Office just moments ago, Trump said that
Russia “is bombing the hell out of Ukraine” – and that he’s told them
they “can’t do that”.
His remarks were tempered by the suggestion that other leaders
around the world would similarly take advantage of a decrease in foreign
military assistance to their enemies.
“I think he’s doing what anyone else would do – he’s
hitting them harder than he’s been hitting them, and anyone in that position
would be doing right now,” Trump said. “He wants to get it ended. I
think Ukraine wants to get it ended. I suspect he wants to get it ended.”
The US president appears to have not shifted much on his
position – starkly highlighted after last week’s infamous Oval Office meeting
with Zelensky – that he is not convinced by Ukraine’s desire for peace.
“I’m finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine,” he said.
At one point, Trump was asked why he doesn’t supply Ukraine air
defence weapons, despite Russia’s mounting aerial attacks.
His answer is unlikely to assuage concerns in Kyiv or in
European capitals.
Trump, however, seems increasingly confident that Russia is
willing to negotiate, despite statements from the Kremlin. Just yesterday, he
suggested he is privy to information – that only he knows – that indicates
“they have no choice”.