U.S. President Donald Trump stated Friday (August 22, 2025) he would make an “important” choice in two weeks on Ukraine peace efforts — specifying that Moscow may face huge sanctions or he would possibly do nothing.
Mr. Trump instructed reporters within the Oval Office that he was “not happy” a few Russian strike on Thursday (August 21, 2025) that hit a U.S.-owned manufacturing facility in Ukraine “and I’m not happy about anything having to do with that war.”
But he stated he needed to see whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy would meet first.
“I think I’ll know. I think I’ll know the attitude of Russia and, frankly, of Ukraine. It takes two,” Mr. Trump stated when requested what he would do on the end of a two-week timeframe he set for assessing the state of peace talks.
“Then I’m going to make a decision as to what we do and it’s going to be a very important decision,” he stated.
“That’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both. Or do we do nothing and say it’s your fight?” he added.
Mr. Trump — who confirmed off an image of him and Mr. Putin at their latest Alaska summit, which he stated had been despatched by the Kremlin chief — has repeatedly introduced timescales of round two weeks for choices on Ukraine and different points. Many of these deadlines have did not materialise.
Also learn: Takeaways from Trump-Putin assembly: No settlement, no questions however plenty of pomp
Russia on Friday (August 22, 2025) dominated out a direct assembly with Mr. Zelenskyy, regardless of Mr. Trump saying on Monday (August 18, 2025) after assembly with the Ukrainian and European leaders that he was arranging a summit.
Mr. Trump stated Friday (August 22, 2025) that establishing a Zelenskyy-Putin summit was as laborious as mixing “oil and vinegar.”
“We’re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together. You know, it’s like oil and vinegar, a little bit. They don’t get along too well, for obvious reasons,” he instructed reporters.
Mr. Trump added “we’ll see” if he would want to attend any such assembly.
