Trump: Putin 'really let me down' on Ukraine peace talks

US President Donald Trump during a press conference with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Chequers on day two of the president’s second state visit to the UK (Leon Neal/PA) Leon Neal

Donald Trump expressed disappointment with Vladimir Putin during his UK state visit, saying the Russian leader has "let him down" as peace efforts for Ukraine remain stalled. The US president made the comments despite previously claiming he could resolve the conflict within one day of taking office.

Trump had expected the Russia-Ukraine war would be among the simplest conflicts to settle, but months of Washington-led diplomatic initiatives have failed to produce breakthrough results. His public ultimatums and deadlines for Moscow to engage with peace proposals have passed without clear progress.

Trump's disappointment at Chequers

Speaking at a press conference at the Prime Minister's country residence on Thursday, Trump defended his diplomatic record while acknowledging the current impasse. He told reporters: "I'm very honoured to tell you that we've solved seven wars, seven wars, wars that were unsolvable, wars that couldn't be negotiated or done, the US has done seven of them."

The president expressed particular disappointment about his relationship with Putin failing to yield results. "The one that I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with President Putin, but he's let me down," Trump said. "He's really let me down. Was going to be Russia and Ukraine, but we'll see how that turns out. I thought it might be among the easiest of the group."

Escalating conflict continues

The diplomatic stalemate persists as fighting intensifies across Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Moscow has launched thousands of drones and powerful glide bombs, plus hundreds of missiles targeting Ukrainian territory in just the past two weeks.

Ukraine has responded by developing long-range drone capabilities that strike deep into Russian territory. Recent Ukrainian attacks have targeted critical infrastructure supporting Russia's military operations, including oil refineries, storage depots and fuel terminals.

Before departing for Britain, Trump indicated pressure on Ukraine's leadership, stating that "Zelensky is going to have to make a deal" to end the conflict. The president emphasised his sense of obligation to pursue peace, saying people were "being killed and I feel I have an obligation to get it settled for that reason."

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.