U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his decision to delay signing a document relating to Russia, saying he does not want to jeopardise ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump said significant progress had been made in the peace efforts, including ongoing hostage negotiations, arguing that signing the document at the present time could push Russia away from the negotiating table.
“My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will foolishly drive Russia away from the bargaining table,” he said.
The president maintained that he could sign the document at a later date, insisting that preserving diplomatic engagement with Moscow remained a priority.
He also argued that Russia had provided limited assistance to Iran, compared with what it could offer, and said he wanted to maintain the situation by avoiding actions that could provoke Moscow.
Trump further criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over reported attacks on Russian diesel refineries, claiming that the strikes were disrupting global diesel markets, including supplies in the United States.
According to Trump, the disruption was affecting farmers, ranchers and businesses, while Russia continued to supply millions of barrels of diesel to the global market at relatively low prices.
He accused Zelenskyy of showing insufficient concern about the economic consequences of the attacks and questioned the Ukrainian leader’s commitment to ending the conflict.
Trump also criticised the financial assistance provided to Ukraine by European countries and the previous administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden, alleging that the support had failed to bring the war to an end.
The U.S. president argued that Ukraine could have secured more favourable peace terms two years ago, adding that the country had suffered extensive territorial losses, economic devastation and significant casualties among its male population.
He further claimed that Ukraine had lost substantial territory and faced severe human losses as the conflict continued.
Trump reiterated his desire to see an end to the war, stressing that his approach to Russia was guided by the need to preserve diplomatic channels and advance negotiations.
“I WANT THIS WAR END!” he declared.
His comments underscore his administration’s stated emphasis on negotiations as a pathway to ending the conflict, amid continuing disagreements over the terms of a potential peace agreement and the military strategies pursued by both Russia and Ukraine.
