During a meeting at the White House with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.S. President Donald Trump compared the full-scale war that Russia is waging against Ukraine to “two children fighting in a park.” The American leader noted that sometimes it is better to let them “fight a little bit.”
This is reported by Kyiv24
Trump on the Difficulty of Ending the War and Possible Sanctions
Trump emphasized that ending the war is difficult due to the deep animosity between the two countries and the personal dislike between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In response to a question about the prospects of new sanctions against Russia, the U.S. president stressed that he is ready to act decisively if he does not see signs of a cessation of hostilities. He also did not rule out the possibility of imposing sanctions on both countries, stating:
“When I see the moment that this (the war – ed.) is not stopping, we will be very tough. This (the imposition of sanctions – ed.) could be against both countries. It takes two to tango.”
When asked about the timeline for new restrictions, Trump noted that the decision remains “in his mind.” Additionally, he characterized the sanctions bill against Russia prepared by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham as “tough” and “very tough.”
Germany’s Position and Recent Events on the Front Line
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the need for joint actions by Berlin and Washington to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. He highlighted that all parties are seeking ways to end the war, and the U.S. has significant influence to achieve this goal. In response, Trump briefly stated: “We will talk about it.”
It is known that prior to Merz’s visit to Washington, Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, during which the Russian leader assured the necessity of responding to the recent attack on airfields. Following this, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine warned of possible large-scale airstrikes.
On June 1, Ukrainian forces carried out a drone attack on several Russian military airfields, using drones that had been hidden in modular houses on trucks. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, the operation resulted in the destruction of over 40 Russian military aircraft. Information from Kyiv indicates that preparations for this operation took a year and a half.
Separately, analysts, relying on video footage and satellite images, confirmed the destruction of at least 11 Russian strategic bombers.