Trump has become tougher about Putin, but has not increased military assistance to Ukraine yet - ABC News

ABC News writes about it. "He [Putin] has to conclude an agreement," Trump told reporters in the oval office on his first day after returning to the White House. "I think he destroys Russia without concluding an agreement. I think there will be big problems in Russia. " Such restrained statements are explained by the fact that Trump has promised during the election campaign to stop fighting in 24 hours or even in inauguration.

He is now trying to plant Putin and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at the negotiation table. Ukraine is ready for the agreement, Trump said at the World Economic Forum three days after its inauguration, adding that "we need to ask Russia" about its willingness to negotiate. "These are the most critical words he has ever spoken," Michael McFol said, the former US Ambassador to the Russian Federation under the Barack Obama administration.

Putin is not interested in peace negotiations, while Russian troops are gaining force in eastern Ukraine, journalists, although at a slow pace, and while the Armed Forces hold the captured territory in the Kursk region. "He does not want to negotiate now because his troops are moving forward," said John Herbst, the former US Ambassador to Ukraine. "He wants to put more Ukrainian territory in his pocket when negotiations begin.

" Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to Zelensky Chief of Staff, told reporters that "Ukraine is open to negotiations, but it should be negotiations. And not an ultimatum from Russia. In this case, Ukraine has demonstrated the desire for negotiations. Russia - no. " It is unclear how far Trump goes in confrontation with Russia against Ukraine and whether he will be ready to increase military assistance - including long -range missiles. Trump has a number of tools that can persuade Putin to stop fighting.

The Trump administration last week briefly delayed the supply of weapons to Ukraine, but, according to a knowledgeable source, it is unclear why. Since then, supply has recovered. Trump advisers and Cabinet members were shared in the question of what pressure should be exercised, at the same time national security adviser Mike Voltz and Special Representative for Ukraine Kelloggi Kelloga want to use American influence to force Putin to stop.

Two days after the oath, Trump warned that Russia would be tariffs, sanctions and taxes on the sale of Russian goods in the US and other countries if Putin did not agree to end the war. The problem of this approach is that US trade with Russia has declined sharply, so tariffs are not so appropriate by pressure. Last year, the United States imported goods from Russia worth about $ 2. 9 billion, and in 2021, this figure was almost 30 billion.

Former Baiden National Security Employee named Baiden, a threat to tariffs with a "honest maneuver". "We have completely disconnected the US economy from the Russian economy," he added. "So our opportunities to harm Russia are insignificant tariffs. " Another option for Trump would be the use of frozen assets of Russia to replenish reserves and weapons of Ukraine.

"I think he [Trump] began to understand how difficult it is to resolve this issue and that Russia would not be constructive unless we put more pressure," an American official involved in a policy on Ukraine and Russia said in an interview , on conditions of anonymity. He also added that not Ukraine prevents peace. "I think he seems to be aware of it, and also understands how bad it will be in political and strategic, if it is [attempted peaceful settlement attempts]," he added.