U.S. President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Moscow over the Ukraine peace talks. On Friday, Trump issued a fresh warning to Russia, stating that if no progress is made toward a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis within two weeks, he will impose sanctions on Russia.
This warning follows a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. During a press conference, Trump said, “I’m about to make a decision on what we’ll do, and it’s going to be a very significant decision. It could be massive sanctions, massive tariffs, or both—or we might do nothing and say, ‘This is your fight.’”
Earlier this week, Russia attacked a U.S. factory in Ukraine, sparking a fire and injuring several workers. Expressing his displeasure at the White House, Trump remarked, “I’m not happy about this incident at all. I’m not happy about anything related to this war.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that Russia is doing everything possible to prevent a meeting between him and Putin. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that no agenda for such a meeting has been prepared yet.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized the need for direct talks with Putin, asserting that dialogue is the only way to end the war. Trump revealed that following a phone call with Putin on Monday, he began preparations for a potential Putin-Zelenskyy meeting.
Zelenskyy accused Russia of stalling, stating during a press conference in Kyiv alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, “One element of ending the war is that meeting. As long as they don’t want to end the war, they’ll keep looking for ways to avoid it.”
Lavrov, in an interview with NBC, reiterated that no agenda for a summit has been established, adding, “When an agenda is ready, Putin will be prepared to meet Zelenskyy. But no such agenda exists yet.”
Commenting on Lavrov’s statement, Trump told reporters, “Let’s see if Putin and Zelenskyy can work together. It’s a bit like oil and water—not easy to mix.”
While preparing for the Alaska summit, Trump had initially shelved plans to impose sanctions on Russia. However, on Friday at the White House, he hinted at the possibility of new sanctions. Displaying a photo from his Alaska meeting with Putin, Trump added, “Putin might come to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Since Russia’s military operation in Ukraine began in 2022, it has been banned from international competitions like the FIFA World Cup, including the 2026 qualifiers. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Trump did not clarify whether Putin would be allowed to attend the event despite the sanctions.
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