US President Donald Trump has portrayed the Russian attacks on Ukraine as an allegedly restrained approach by Moscow, while ignoring war crimes committed by the Russian army. Asked by a journalist whether he had agreed to a planned three-way meeting with the presidents of Russia and China, Trump said on Monday outside the White House: “No, but I wouldn’t do it so much because of Ukraine, because Russia has, honestly, held back with regard to Ukraine. They haven’t done much, and the same applies to China.” According to the Tagesspiegel, Trump then spoke on Monday about nuclear weapons and disarmament.
The claim leaves out the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure – as well as the shooting of prisoners of war, sexualised violence by Russian forces and the deportation of Ukrainian children, which international organisations and the European Union accuse Moscow of. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in 2023.
A dispute on the open stage
Trump’s remark comes amid an open confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Since Trump announced an agreement under which sanctioned Russia may sell diesel on the world market, the two have been arguing in public – memories of the clash in the White House in early 2025 are stirring. According to the Swiss Tages-Anzeiger, Trump said in Washington: “We’ve given Ukraine a lot – they’ve given us nothing. Don’t forget that.” Zelensky “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and is “no real help” in the peace efforts.
The Tages-Anzeiger reports, citing the outlet Axios, that Zelensky complained at a virtual meeting with US senators from both parties that Washington was holding back weapons deliveries. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had not approved the delivery of Patriot and other air-defence missiles, even though Nato states had already paid for them. A senior official at the department contradicted this account, according to the Tages-Anzeiger. The Washington Post also reported, according to the Tages-Anzeiger, that the halt also affected deliveries from other partners that depend on approval from Washington.
Republicans distance themselves
The new move comes in the context of Trump’s suspension of tightened Russia sanctions. By decree, he suspended on Friday a package adopted in September that provided for entry bans against Putin and military representatives as well as measures against the shadow fleet, as t-online reports. There is resistance from his own party: Senator Thom Tillis called the decision “more than irresponsible”, according to fr.de, and pointed out that the Senate had passed the law by 86 votes to eleven. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he had warned the White House about possible “unintended consequences” but did not openly oppose Trump.
Trump defends the suspension as part of his efforts to negotiate an end to the war, and at the same time wants to lower high fuel prices before the midterm elections on 3 November. According to ZDFheute, the US Treasury Department issued the permit for the import of Russian diesel until 7 April 2027. The Ukrainian president sharply criticised the decision: “A suspension of US sanctions, a reduction of pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin – all of this only encourages him to continue his attacks,” Zelensky said, according to t-online.
On Tuesday morning, Zelensky wrote on X, according to the Tages-Anzeiger, that he had held a “constructive conversation” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “I am grateful for his willingness to help and his clear stance.” A meeting between Zelensky and US envoy Steve Witkoff is also scheduled for this Tuesday in Oslo; Jared Kushner is to join digitally, and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb will also take part. According to the news agency NTB, Støre said the aim was to steer diplomatic efforts back into more constructive channels.
Meanwhile, Senators Tillis and Blumenthal reported after a conversation with Zelensky that the satellite service Starlink was still impaired, which was making it harder to defend against Russian drones. Zelensky had also reported disruptions in the exchange of US intelligence information. “As a result of these disruptions, civilians are dying – children,” the two senators said, according to the Tages-Anzeiger.
Earlier coverage: Trump defends pausing Russia sanctions as criticism mounts
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
