Trump, Putin may take 'decisive steps' to end Ukraine conflict
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has hinted at taking "significant" actions with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The president revealed that his administration is in "very serious" talks with Russia over the matter.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, "We will be speaking, and I think we'll perhaps do something that'll be significant. We want to end that war."
Diplomatic discussions
Trump's stance on Ukraine conflict and Putin's response
The details of these talks or the members of his administration engaged in discussions with Russian officials remain unknown.
When asked if he spoke directly to Putin, he answered cryptically, "I don't want to say that."
Meanwhile, Putin has praised Trump as a "clever and pragmatic man" who puts US interests first.
Speaking to Russian state television, Putin claimed the Ukraine crisis could have been avoided had Trump been president when it started.
Political criticism
Trump criticizes Zelenskyy, relationship with Putin scrutinized
Trump has also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not striking a deal with Putin to avoid the war.
He spoke about Ukraine's reliance on US aid in a Fox News interview, saying, "They were brave, but we gave them billions of dollars."
Ukraine currently relies on the United States for over 40% of its military needs, and since February 2022, Washington has sent Kyiv more than $65 billion (€62 billion).