Trump claims Putin seeks to end Ukraine conflict

At a recent NATO summit, U.S. President Donald Trump shared that he plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though he didn’t say when. Trump stated that Putin wants to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine, but noted the process is taking longer than expected.

Speaking at the summit in The Hague, Trump described his 45-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as productive and meaningful. This was their first meeting since Ukraine and Russia restarted direct talks to end the conflict. Trump also suggested the U.S. might send more Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine after his discussion with Zelenskiy.

He emphasized the urgency of addressing the situation, calling it “completely out of control” during a private NATO leaders’ meeting. Trump’s comments reflect a push for a peace deal, though he acknowledged challenges, saying both Putin and Zelenskiy have been difficult to work with. He clarified that his earlier claim of ending the war in 24 hours was sarcastic, admitting the conflict’s complexity.