U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Russia to halt its ongoing attacks against Ukraine, even as his administration signaled growing frustration with stalled peace efforts. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, Trump said he was disappointed by Russia’s continued aggression and described his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Vatican as productive.
“I see him as calmer. I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal,” Trump said, reflecting on his one-on-one meeting with Zelenskiy during their visit to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington might abandon its attempts to broker peace if no tangible progress is made soon. “It needs to happen soon,” Rubio said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We cannot continue to dedicate time and resources to this effort if it’s not going to come to fruition.”
The Vatican meeting marked the first encounter between Trump and Zelenskiy since a tense Oval Office meeting in February and comes at a critical moment in the conflict. Trump later rebuked Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, stating there was “no reason” for Russia to fire missiles into civilian areas.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking in a pre-taped interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” defended recent strikes, claiming Russia only targets sites used by the Ukrainian military. Lavrov dismissed concerns about civilian casualties, even after a deadly attack on Kyiv last week.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy reported on Telegram that Russian forces had already launched nearly 70 attacks on Sunday alone, emphasizing that the international community’s pressure on Moscow remains insufficient.
Tensions have also emerged between American, Ukrainian, and European officials over how to shape a potential peace deal. U.S. proposals reportedly include recognizing Russia’s control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories — a move Ukrainian and European leaders firmly oppose. Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius urged Ukraine not to accept such terms, warning they conceded too much.
Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, acknowledged the president’s frustrations with both Putin and Zelenskiy but insisted Trump remained committed to brokering an agreement. Waltz also hinted at future U.S.-Ukraine cooperation on rare earth minerals.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed alarm, warning that Trump could “cave in to Putin,” and called abandoning Ukraine “a moral tragedy” during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
As the war drags on, the window for a negotiated peace appears increasingly fragile, with deep divisions among allies and heightened military action on the ground.