President Donald Trump has publicly declared he is “very disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin — remarks rooted in frustration over continued Russian aggression and the failing momentum in peace negotiations.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that in a recent interview on "The Scott Jennings Radio Show," Trump lamented the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine, saying cryptically, “we will be doing something to help people live.”
Among other things there has been active discussion of imposing stiff new economic sanctions on Russsia over Putin's failure to commit to a concrete truce plan.
Peace Efforts Come Up Empty
This expression of disappointment follows a series of diplomatic gambits that have yet to produce results. A high-profile summit held in Anchorage on Aug. 15 between Trump and Putin ended without any concrete agreement or ceasefire. Observers noted that while the meeting was the first such Western invitation extended to Putin since 2022, it yielded no meaningful advances.
Earlier in the year, U.S. efforts to negotiate a 30-day ceasefire also collapsed. Moscow rejected unconditional truces and continued offensives.
In mid-May, Putin demanded that Ukraine cede territory — a condition Kyiv refused — effectively derailing one of the rare direct talks, AP and the Washington Post said.
Escalations Undermine Diplomacy
While diplomatic overtures have faltered, Russia has ramped up military activity. A major missile and drone strike on Kyiv last week killed at least 21 people, including children, and damaged EU and British diplomatic buildings. Such attacks appear to have blindsided the U.S. peace push and prompted renewed U.S. material support for Ukraine, AP and the Wall Street Journal said.
In response to the stalled talks, the Trump administration is reportedly keeping all options on the table. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled that new sanctions targeting both Russia and its trading partners could be imminent.