Trump’s harsh criticism of Russia is a "negotiating tactic" and intended to pressure the Kremlin – White House
President Donald Trump’s harsh rhetoric toward Russia is a "negotiating tactic" aimed at pressuring the Kremlin.
According to Censor.NET, The Washington Post reported this, citing a senior White House official.
The article noted that by backing Kyiv’s ambitions to defeat Russia, Trump stunned world leaders and inspired Ukrainian officials.
Trump’s apparent shift in favor of Ukraine’s full territorial restoration reflects his growing frustration with Putin, a senior White House official told the WP.
However, Trump did not signal a serious shift in U.S. policy toward Kyiv during his day at the UN General Assembly, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity like others to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
At the same time, the fact that Trump, who had earlier claimed Ukraine would have to cede some of its land to end the war, declared that Kyiv "has every opportunity to fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form" marks a notable breakthrough.
Yet just hours later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the UN Security Council that Russia’s war against Ukraine would end at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield. This reaffirmed the current U.S. policy, underscoring that Trump’s new approach is not being put into practice. According to the White House official, everything the U.S. president does is viewed "through the lens of ‘How do we make a deal?’".
Trump "has long been very dissatisfied with Putin," a source told reporters.
"He simply says: look, if Putin doesn’t want peace, then let the war continue, and we will keep selling weapons to NATO," the official explained to the outlet, clarifying the U.S. leader’s remark
The U.S. president is still considering the possibility of imposing sanctions on Russia.
"He is tired of Putin," the WP quoted its source as saying, identifying him as a senior White House official.
