President Donald Trump mentioned Sunday he needs a deal to finish the Russia-Ukraine conflict in “two weeks or much less,” however later mentioned a little bit extra time may be acceptable.
Trump’s deadline comes a day after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Vatican Metropolis whereas they had been in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral.
“I believe the assembly went nicely, we’ll see what occurs over the subsequent few days. We’ll most likely study lots,” Trump instructed reporters on the tarmac at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey earlier than returning to Washington.
Trump mentioned he was “very dissatisfied” that Russia continued to hold out missile and drone strikes in Ukraine days after he had implored Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease the assaults whereas negotiations continued.
President Donald Trump arrives at Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport in Newark, N.J., April 26, 2025, upon coming back from a visit to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on the Vatican.
Evan Vucci/AP
When requested what he and Zelenskyy talked about, Trump mentioned Zelenskyy emphasised their want for extra weapons.
“He instructed me that he wants extra weapons and we’ll see what occurs — I wish to see what, with respect to Russia — with Russia I have been stunned and dissatisfied once they did the bombing,” Trump mentioned.
When requested what he needs from Putin, Trump replied, “I need him to cease capturing, sit down and signal a deal. We now have the confines of a deal I consider and I need him to signal it and be executed with it and simply return to life.”
Trump additionally mentioned that Ukraine reclaiming its territory in Crimea that Russia occupied in 2014 can be difficult whereas blaming former President Barack Obama for permitting Russia to take the area. Requested whether or not he thought Ukraine would hand over Crimea, Trump mentioned “I believe so.”
Earlier Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that Russia and Ukraine are nearer to a deal after Trump’s assembly with Zelenskyy, however a deal continues to be not there.
He mentioned the U.S. will now have to weigh if it is time for the U.S. to step in to mediate talks.
“Effectively, I believe they’re nearer typically than they have been any time within the final three years, but it surely’s nonetheless not there,” Rubio instructed NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“We can not proceed, as I mentioned, to dedicate time and assets to this effort if it isn’t going to return to fruition. So the final week has actually been about determining how shut are these sides actually and are they shut sufficient that this deserves a continued funding of our time as a mediator on this regard.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican, April 26, 2025.
@ermaka2022/AFP through Getty Pictures
Trump and Zelenskyy met in Vatican Metropolis on Saturday whereas each had been in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis. White Home Communications Director Steven Cheung mentioned the 2 had a “very productive session.” Zelenskyy described the assembly as “good” in a publish on X and mentioned, “Hoping for outcomes on all the things we lined. Defending lives of our individuals. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Dependable and lasting peace that may stop one other conflict from breaking out. Very symbolic assembly that has potential to change into historic, if we obtain joint outcomes.”
After their assembly, Trump blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s continued bombardments of Ukrainian cities, which continued in a single day into Sunday morning with extra drone assaults on six Ukrainian areas. Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned its forces downed eight Ukrainian drones in a single day into Sunday morning.
Rubio was requested why the U.S. trusts that Putin will not invade Ukraine once more or one other European nation as he has by no means acknowledged Ukraine’s proper to exist.
“Effectively, I do not suppose peace offers are constructed on belief. I believe peace offers must be constructed on verification. Need to be constructed on information, must be constructed on motion, must be constructed on realities,” Rubio mentioned. “So this isn’t a difficulty of, nicely, of belief. It is a difficulty of constructing in these types of issues, verification, safety, ensures, issues which have been mentioned up to now,” Rubio mentioned.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a gathering of the Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Job Pressure, on the Justice Division in Washington, April 22, 2025.
Ken Cedeno/Reuters
Rubio mentioned the U.S. has made “actual progess, however these final couple steps of this journey had been at all times going to be the toughest ones, and it must occur quickly.”
Rubio wouldn’t elaborate on a timeline of a deal however as a substitute harassed it is a “important week” for the U.S.
“This week goes to be a extremely necessary week wherein now we have to make a dedication about whether or not that is an endeavor that we wish to proceed to be concerned in, or if it is time to form of deal with another points which are equally, if no more necessary, in some instances, however we wish to see it occur, there are causes to be optimistic, however there are causes to be life like, after all, as nicely,” he mentioned. “We’re shut, however we’re not shut sufficient.”
Requested if he supported negotiations, Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer instructed CNN’s “State of the Union that he fears Trump will collapse to Putin and “promote out” Zelenskyy.
“Effectively, look, my nice worry, Dana, is that Trump will simply collapse to Putin,” Schumer instructed CNN’s Dana Bash. “That is been the general indications all alongside. And, after all, the underside line may be very easy, that if we cave to Putin, if Trump caves in to Putin, it is three — it is unhealthy in three very unhealthy methods:” abandoning Ukraine can be a “ethical tragedy, he mentioned, and would “tear asunder” alliances with European allies.
“However, third, and perhaps worst of all, it is a signal that the US is weak. It sends a sign to each dictator in China, in North Korea, in Iran that, should you get up and bully Trump, you are going to get your means,” he mentioned.
Nationwide Safety Adviser Mike Waltz instructed Fox Information’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that extra sanctions in opposition to Russia may very well be coming because the U.S. tries to drive it to make a deal.
“(Trump) talked about potential motion on banking, potential motion on the oil and gasoline sector. However he is decided to make use of each carrots and sticks to get each side to the desk,” he mentioned.
