“I think he understands the painting and he wants to make a deal,” the president also said of his meeting with Zelensky at the Vatican.
On April 27, President Donald Trump halted Russian Ukrainian president’s attacks on Ukraine and urged him to accept a ceasefire agreement, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it was “very important” in determining whether the US will continue its efforts to mediate the deal next week.
Speaking to a New Jersey reporter, Trump said the meeting was “good” and that Zelensky conveyed the need for more weapons to protect the Russian army.
“I think he’s calm. I think he understands the photos. He wants to make a deal,” the president said. “We’ll see what happens in the next few days.”
Trump said he was “stomped” and “very disappointed” that Russia launched an attack on Ukraine after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on April 25th.
“I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a contract,” Trump said, referring to the Russian leader. “We have a range of transactions. I want him to sign.”
“I think they’re generally closer than they’ve been in the last three years, but they’re not there yet,” he said in an interview. “Like I said, if that doesn’t happen, then we can’t devote our time and resources to this effort.”
Rubio said next week will be “very important” as the US must decide whether to continue its involvement in the Russian-Ukraine peace talks or focus on other important issues.
He added that the United States may choose to take action against those who resist efforts to end the war, but he emphasized that “I don’t want to reach that stage yet, as I think it will close the door to diplomacy.”
On April 26, Trump criticized Putin for targeting missiles Ukrainian civilian regions while peace talk efforts were underway, raising questions about whether Russian leaders intend to end the war.
