Trump believes only negotiated agreement can resolve Russia-Ukraine conflict
US President Donald Trump believes a negotiated agreement between Russia and Ukraine is the only viable path to ending the conflict between the two countries, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Trump's efforts to mediate a truce between Russia and Ukraine contributed to the countries restarting direct negotiations in Türkiye last month – talks that Kiev abandoned in 2022 to focus on its military efforts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that while Moscow is not seeking an unconditional surrender, Kiev must acknowledge the 'realities on the ground,' and that its negotiating position worsens with each passing day.
In a press briefing on Friday, Bruce was asked whether those remarks mean that Moscow is not serious about the talks, and how Washington would respond.
'As I've mentioned before, during negotiations, things sometimes progress, things change. That's the whole point of negotiations and conversations: You signal how long you're generally willing to wait, but you also know if someone is serious,' she said, noting, 'At the same time, we've heard some very blunt comments by President Trump about President Putin.'
That's where we've landed at this point in comments from both the president and secretary of state – that the only way this is going to end is for the two parties to meet and come to a conclusion and a decision, and some kind of an agreement.
She added that while the US remains Ukraine's 'biggest supporter,' the process of peace negotiations is complex and constantly evolving. 'We are clearly making our presence and our care about the situation known... but this is not about reacting to a single quote or online statement,' she said.
Asked about Putin's assertion that Russia now holds a 'strategic advantage' in the conflict, Bruce declined to comment on potential punitive measures or sanctions, reiterating: 'We're not going to listen to what [Russia] says – we're going to watch what they do.'
'Only the president can make the decision about how to proceed. Only he knows all the elements about what's important and how we're going to make a difference,' she said. 'As I term it… there is one guiding hand to the choices that we make. And that would include Russia, Ukraine, and every conflict he's trying to stop.'
The spokeswoman added that direct engagement between Moscow and Washington continues behind the scenes, involving 'months now of dealing with the parties directly,' and argued that Trump, as 'the most powerful leader in the world right now,' is better positioned than the public or press to assess the situation.
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