Trump Calls Out Putin Over Ukraine War, but Signals Zelensky May Still Be the Roadblock
In a candid exchange with reporters on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he was “unhappy” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming the Kremlin is still unwilling to end the war in Ukraine. “We get a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin,” Trump remarked, a characteristically blunt assessment that raised eyebrows in both Washington and Brussels.
And yet, despite the rhetoric, some officials aren’t convinced this signals a fundamental shift in Trump’s view of the conflict—or in his administration’s posture.
Public frustration, private ambiguity
The president didn’t hold back when describing Putin’s attitude. He acknowledged that while the Russian leader has often been “very nice,” those niceties have amounted to “meaningless” gestures in the broader context of Ukraine. Trump then teased a “major statement” coming soon on Russia policy, including possible economic penalties. Among the floated ideas? A staggering 500% tariff on countries importing Russian oil, gas, or industrial goods.
It’s a provocative suggestion, but not yet an official policy. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes that several countries in Asia and Eastern Europe still rely heavily on Russian energy—any sweeping tariffs could ripple across global markets, not to mention diplomatic alliances.
Zelensky, not Putin, still seen as the problem?
What’s striking—maybe even unsettling—is that despite Trump’s sharper criticism of Putin, insiders say his views on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky haven’t budged much.
According to a report from the Financial Times, two senior officials involved in defense talks with the U.S. revealed that Western governments still see Trump as more comfortable negotiating with Moscow than Kyiv. One even described Zelensky as the “primary obstacle” to a workable peace deal, at least in Trump’s eyes.
That’s a striking claim. And while some commentators believe Trump’s tone shift reflects mounting pressure from NATO allies and Congress, others say the White House hasn’t actually changed course in any measurable way.
“There’s a little bit of overexcitement based on a shift in tone,” one of the officials told FT. “We’re not seeing that translate into major actions.”
A familiar dance—with higher stakes
To be honest, this reminds me of earlier phases in Trump’s first term: strong language, cryptic policy hints, and a press corps scrambling to read the tea leaves. The pattern is familiar. The stakes, however, feel much less abstract now—with Europe bracing for another winter, Ukraine’s counteroffensives stalling, and Russia digging in.
