Trump admits Putin 'really let me down' as peace talks over Ukraine conflict stall
Donald Trump has said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has “really let me down” over his efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine - amid stalled peace efforts following weeks of Russian attacks.
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The US President told a Chequers press conference he does not regret meeting Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last month in Alaska.
The meeting to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine ultimately ended without a deal being made.
Asked by a reporter whether it was a mistake to invite Putin to the table and if he regrets it, Mr Trump replied: “No.”
He explained: “Very simply, if the price of oil comes down, Putin is going to drop out.
"He’s going to have no choice, he’s going to drop out of that war.”
The US president suggested he had initially thought the war, which he previously claimed he could end within one day of entering the White House, would have been “the easiest” conflict to settle.
But a peace deal appears to be no closer despite months of Washington-led talks, and Mr Trump’s ultimatums and deadlines for the Russian leader to engage with proposals have passed without obvious consequences.
Asked during his state visit to the UK on Thursday whether negotiations had run out of road, the US president said people were “being killed and I feel I have an obligation to get it settled for that reason.”
Mr Trump said: “I’m very honoured to tell you that we’ve solved seven wars, seven wars, wars that were unsolvable, wars that couldn’t be negotiated or done, the US has done seven of them.
“The one that I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with President Putin, but he’s let me down.“He’s really let me down.
"Was going to be Russia and Ukraine, but we’ll see how that turns out. I thought it might be among the easiest of the group.”He did not specify which other conflicts he was referencing.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “There are a number of European countries which are too reliant on energy from Russia, the UK actually, obviously, has almost got nothing at all, but we do need to bear down and work with our European counterparts here.
“There are one or two countries, I think, that do need to look again at the question of energy.
“There’s no one silver bullet here, we do have to have a wider suite of sanctions, which we’ve put in place a number of times, working across Europe and with the United States.”
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Moscow launched thousands of drones and powerful glide bombs, as well as hundreds of missiles at targets inside the country just over the past fortnight.
In response, Ukraine has developed its own long-range drones that have hit deep into Russia, damaging installations vital for Russia’s war effort.Recent strikes have included oil refineries, depots and terminals.
Before arriving in Britain, Mr Trump told reporters in Washington that “Zelensky is going to have to make a deal” to end the war, although he did not elaborate on what he meant.
Last night, Mr Trump described the bond between the US and the UK as “priceless and eternal" after a day of pomp and pageantry for his unprecedented second state visit.
His speech said: “We’re joined by history and faith, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny.“
"We’re like two notes in one chord or two verses of the same poem, each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together.
"Earlier in the day, Mr Trump enjoyed a carriage procession through the grounds of Windsor accompanied by a sovereign's escort of 80 mounted soldiers - similar to scenes from Trooping the Colour - and a 120-strong guard of honour, the largest staged for a state visit in living memory.