Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely posturing about being willing to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to drag out deadlines from President Donald Trump, who is threatening sanctions against Russia, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said on Newsmax Friday.
“I’m not sure that it is in play,” Volker told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" of a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. “I think that Putin is dangling this out there as a possibility because he wants to keep stretching out the deadlines.”
Trump has set specific deadlines for a Russian ceasefire, with the latest to expire today. The administration has indicated that sanctions and tariffs would follow if Moscow does not comply. Volker believes Putin’s gesture toward negotiations is superficial, designed to stall for time without altering the course of the war.
“You have the appearance of negotiating and being willing to end the war," he said. "He has not changed a single thing. He continues to bomb and kill Ukrainians every night."
Meanwhile, Volker insisted that Ukraine must be involved in any peace deal.
"It is their country. It’s Ukraine, so the president of Ukraine has to be the one who ultimately agrees on what’s going to happen," he said.
Volker also on Friday praised Trump’s recent move involving the deployment of U.S. nuclear submarines, describing it as a necessary response to Russia’s rhetoric.
“That was very well done by President Trump because he needed to shut down those irresponsible nuclear threats coming from Medvedev and from Russia,” Volker said.
Volker, however, stressed Trump’s personal commitment to brokering peace.
"Trump, I think, is sincere. He wants to see the killing stopped. He wants to just see this war ended, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get that done in terms of his personal diplomacy,” he said.
When asked about U.S. sanctions targeting nations that continue to purchase Russian oil, especially countries like China and India, Volker said that move might eventually pressure global buyers, but early indications suggest major players are unlikely to cooperate.
“Both China and India ... have said that they will not stop buying. And as a result, these sanctions will kick into gear,” Volker said.
He warned that if history is a guide, China might retaliate with tariffs, as it did during previous trade disputes, potentially harming American consumers more than Chinese firms.
To improve the effectiveness of the sanctions, Volker urged the administration to go further.
“What I would strongly urge President Trump to consider is sanctions, not just tariffs but sanctions, on the individuals, the businesses, the entities that are actually engaged in the trade with Russian oil and gas,” he said, pointing to banks, ports, vessels, insurance firms, and refiners.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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