ROME — President Donald Trump on Saturday cast new doubt over the possibility of a swift end to the war in Ukraine, saying he questions whether Russian President Vladimir Putin truly wants peace, just one day after he had suggested a deal was near.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote in a post on social media, as he traveled back to the United States following Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican. Trump met briefly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the ceremony.
Hinting at possible new economic measures against Moscow, Trump added, “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Trump’s public airing of doubts marks a stark shift from his comments just one day earlier, when he had sounded optimistic about peace prospects. Speaking after a meeting between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin in Moscow, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were “very close to a deal.”
The reversal underscores growing frustrations within the Trump administration as efforts to broker an end to the conflict intensify. The war, launched by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has dragged on with heavy casualties and little sign of lasting peace.
The encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy inside St. Peter’s Basilica — their first since a heated Oval Office exchange earlier this year — lasted about 15 minutes. It ended without a second, scheduled follow-up meeting due to tight travel schedules, according to Zelenskyy’s spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov.
After the meeting, Zelenskyy characterized the conversation as a “good meeting,” stating on social media, “We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.” He also met separately with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The White House similarly called the discussion “very productive,” highlighting the symbolism of the talks taking place during Pope Francis’ funeral, a leader who had long championed calls for peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump had arrived in Italy on Friday evening, immediately calling for “very high level talks” between Ukraine and Russia. However, neither Putin nor Zelenskyy publicly responded to his proposal for direct negotiations.
Although Zelenskyy has accepted an American proposal for an initial 30-day ceasefire, Russia has yet to agree, continuing to launch strikes on Ukrainian cities. Trump’s call for restraint came Thursday after a deadly Russian missile barrage on Kyiv, during which he publicly urged Putin to “STOP!”
Trump’s wavering optimism comes amid internal U.S. political pressure. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, urged Trump on Friday to impose “the toughest of sanctions” against Russia, warning that Putin was “playing America as a patsy.” Trump has so far hesitated, even as he announced sweeping new global tariffs this month that notably excluded Russia.
Meanwhile, Putin, facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, did not attend the Vatican funeral.
Zelenskyy has maintained pressure for real action, saying Friday night that “very significant meetings may take place” in the coming days. He repeated calls for an unconditional ceasefire, asserting that “real pressure on Russia is needed so that they accept either the American proposal to cease fire and move towards peace, or our proposal.”
Diplomatic efforts continue despite growing tensions. Yet complicating matters further are Trump’s recent public statements on Ukraine’s territorial claims. In an interview with Time magazine published Friday, Trump said that Crimea — which Russia annexed in 2014 — should remain under Russian control, calling Ukrainian efforts to reclaim it “unrealistic.”
“Everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time,” Trump said during the interview conducted Tuesday at the White House.
Russia also currently occupies parts of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions following its 2022 invasion, all territories Kyiv has pledged to regain.
As diplomatic momentum builds, Trump’s shifting tone on Putin and the war underscores both the urgency and fragility of negotiations aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict in decades.
