President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is “not happy” with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. During a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump accused Putin of “throwing bulls—” at the United States in response to efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
“He’s killing a lot of people… his soldiers and their soldiers, mostly, and it’s now up to 7,000 a week,” Trump said, referring to Putin.
“I’m very unhappy with them,” he added.
Weapons Shipment Pause and Continued Support
Trump’s remarks come days after the Pentagon paused a shipment of weapons to Ukraine and just one day after he said the U.S. would send “some more weapons” to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
When asked who ordered the weapons pause, Trump half-jokingly turned to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and said, “Why don’t you tell me?”
As he has done in the past, Trump suggested the actions of his Democratic predecessors, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, partly caused Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022.
He noted the war “turned out to be tougher” for Russia, largely because of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
“That was a war… that should have never happened, and a lot of people are dying and it should end,” Trump said.
Critical of Putin’s Words and Actions
Trump described Putin as being “very nice all the time,” but said that friendliness was “meaningless.”
“We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,” he said.
The two leaders last spoke on July 3 in a call that lasted nearly an hour, according to the White House.
Later, Trump called the conversation a disappointment.
“I don’t think he’s there,” Trump said of Putin. “I don’t think he’s looking to stop” the war, adding, “And that’s too bad.”
What The Author Thinks
The war in Ukraine remains one of the most challenging international crises today. Trump’s frustration reflects broader skepticism about Putin’s willingness to negotiate seriously. While diplomatic efforts must continue, words alone won’t stop the violence—real progress requires tangible actions and concessions from all parties involved. Leaders must move beyond rhetoric to meaningful solutions.
Featured image credit: Trump White House Archived via Flickr
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