US President Donald Trump suggested that allowing Russia and Ukraine to continue fighting might be preferable for him for the time being, as he met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on 5 June at the White House, RFE/RL reported. The statement came just hours before hundreds of Russian drones and missiles struck residential areas in Kyiv, Ternopil, Lutsk, and other Ukrainian cities.
Trump signals retreat from his peace effort
According to Axios, Trump compared the ongoing war, in which Russia destroys multiple Ukrainian cities and keeps killing Ukrainian civilians, to a playground fight:
“Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy, they hate each other and they’re fighting in a park. Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” RFE/RL cited Trump as saying.
Trump said this analogy was something he shared with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call on 4 June. The US President described himself like “a hockey referee letting players fight for a bit before putting an end to it.”
Trump, per Axios, acknowledged that “bad blood” and deep “hatred” between the sides — especially between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — made it difficult to reach a ceasefire. He said that “a lot of animosity” existed between the two leaders, according to RFE/RL.
Trump refuses to commit on Russia sanctions
When asked three times whether he would back new sanctions on Russia or support the sanctions bill sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump was non-committal, Axios reported.
He said he would discuss the matter with Merz but noted, per Axios,
“When I see the moment where it’s not gonna stop, we will be very tough, and it could be on both countries.” Trump added, “It takes two to tango.”
He also stated,
“If Russia is out of line, you will be amazed how tough [I’ll be].”
None of Trump’s earlier threats toward Russia have gone beyond rhetoric.
EU pushes for more sanctions
According to RFE/RL, Merz said he discussed sanctions with US senators and noted that the European Union is currently debating its 18th sanctions package since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. He predicted it would pass.
