In a surprising twist during his latest round of diplomacy, President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that he deliberately chose not to call Russian President Vladimir Putin in front of European leaders at the White House saying it would have been “disrespectful” to Putin.
“I didn’t do it in front of them, I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin. I wouldn’t do that because they have not had the warmest relations,” Trump told Fox News’ Fox & Friends.
The White House meeting included a heavyweight lineup: French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump said he told the group that he would step into another room to make the call privately.
Also Read: Is America Losing Freedom of Speech Since Trump Took Office?
The move comes as Trump pushes an ambitious effort to broker peace in Ukraine. He met with Putin in Alaska just days earlier, and according to Trump, the Russian leader was expecting his follow-up call. “By the time I called him, it was 1 o’clock in the morning in Russia. But he picked it up very happily,” Trump said.
Trump told Fox he’s now working to set up a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky, with plans for all three to eventually sit down together. Still, he cautioned that Ukraine’s leader must be willing to bend. “It takes two to tango,” Trump said. “I hope Zelensky will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also. The thing is a mess.”
The president also sent a subtle warning to Putin, saying, “I hope President Putin is going to be good. If he’s not, that’s going to be a rough situation.”
For now, Trump’s balancing act between Russia, Ukraine, and Europe raises a key question: is this bold diplomacy a path to peace, or a gamble that could backfire?
Also Read: Starmer at the White House: Political Theater While Ukraine Gets Sold Out
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