Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, former U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to broker peace in Ukraine have not yielded any significant progress.
President Trump recently expressed dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating that additional sanctions on Russia are under consideration as ceasefire negotiations remain at an impasse. Just hours after the two leaders held a phone conversation on Thursday, Russian forces launched a major air assault on Ukraine, striking Kyiv and other key cities.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump remarked, “I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way—just keep killing people. It’s no good. We talk about sanctions a lot. He understands that it may be coming.”
Following the conversation with Putin, Trump also spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to Zelensky, the two leaders agreed to increase efforts to safeguard Ukraine’s airspace, although specific details were not disclosed.
President Zelensky later posted on the social platform X, stating: “Today we discussed the current situation, including Russian airstrikes and the broader frontline developments. President Trump is very well informed, and I thank him for his attention to Ukraine. We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen the protection of our skies. We have also agreed to a meeting between our teams.
“We had a detailed conversation about defence industry capabilities and joint production. We are ready for direct projects with the United States and believe this is critically important for security, especially when it comes to drones and related technologies.
“We also touched on mutual procurement and investment. Finally, we exchanged views on the diplomatic situation and joint work with the U.S. and other partners.”
When asked by a journalist whether the United States would supply Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, Trump said: “We might. We're looking at it.”
Meanwhile, as Russia’s military actions in Ukraine persist, reports suggest that Chinese officials have conveyed concerns over the potential consequences of a Russian defeat.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly shared these concerns during a four-hour meeting with European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas. According to sources cited by the South China Morning Post, Mr. Wang warned that if Russia were to lose the war, the United States might redirect its strategic focus toward China.
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