Trump said it has been “more difficult” to deal with Putin than anticipated. He also acknowledged that he had “some problems” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that it is “possible” Russian President Vladimir Putin has ambitions beyond Ukraine, as he labeled Russia one of the most significant long-term threats to NATO’s security.
Speaking at a NATO summit in The Hague, Trump acknowledged that resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine has proven more difficult than he originally expected. “I think [Putin] is misguided,” Trump said, according to USA Today. He added, “It’s been more difficult than I thought.”
When asked directly if Putin might attempt to invade other countries, Trump responded, “It’s possible.”
The president also revealed he’s had “some problems” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and signaled a desire to push for an end to the conflict. “I think it’s a great time to end it,” Trump said. “I’m going to speak to Vladimir Putin, see if we can get it ended. I’m very surprised, actually—I thought we would have had that settled easily.”
Trump also left the door open to sending additional military aid to Ukraine, which has been struggling to repel Russian advances. While Trump had previously shown little interest in continuing the robust arms support initiated under Joe Biden, his latest comments suggest a potential shift.
Asked whether the U.S. would increase funding for Ukraine’s defense this year, he answered, “As far as money going, we’ll see what happens.”
The summit placed less focus on Ukraine than in previous years, likely in an effort to avoid tensions with Trump, who had earlier cast doubt on NATO’s core commitment to collective defense under Article Five.
However, NATO leaders reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to mutual defense in their final statement. At the summit’s closing press conference, Trump reinforced the point: “I came here because it was something I’m supposed to be doing,” he said when asked again about Article Five.
