First lady points out Russian attacks that follow diplomatic calls between Trump and Putin
President Donald Trump revealed Monday that it was First Lady Melania Trump who opened his eyes to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated failures to follow through on promises of peace in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump recounted how his wife began pointing out the gap between Putin’s friendly rhetoric and Russia’s continued military aggression.
“I’d come home and say, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation,’” Trump said. “And Melania would go, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”
He shared another moment that stuck with him: “I said, ‘First Lady, I think we’re done. I had the most wonderful talk with Vladimir.’ Then I turn on the TV — or she says to me, ‘That’s strange. They just bombed a nursing home.’ I said, ‘What?’”
According to Trump, these moments helped him realize that while Putin talks peace, his actions tell a different story. Russian attacks using missiles and drones have continued unabated, even after direct calls between the two leaders.
Last week, Trump expressed clear frustration with Putin, saying, “I’m not happy with him — he’s killing a lot of people.” He added that he was weighing additional military aid for Ukraine to help defend against Russian attacks.
On Monday, Trump confirmed the U.S. had agreed to sell weapons to NATO allies. He also issued a stark warning to Moscow: Russia has 50 days to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine, or face 100% tariffs.
“This is once again European nations standing up,” said Secretary General Rutte. “Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Canada — they all want to be part of this effort.”
Rutte also emphasized that this new wave of support for Ukraine is only the beginning: “There will be more. NATO will coordinate closely to ensure Ukraine gets exactly what it needs.”
