The United States considers “secondary sanctions” against Russia for its lack of will to end the war in Ukraine. This was noted by Donald Trump this Saturday, April 26.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles against areas, cities and civilian towns in recent days. It makes me think that perhaps he does not want to stop the war, he is only using me and we must treat it differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary sanctions’? Too many people are dying!”, Said the leader of the White House through his platform Truth Social.
His words came shortly after an unusual meeting with the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, in the Basilica of San Pedro, who left an iconic image in the framework of Pope Francis’s funeral ceremonies.
Both spoke for about 15 minutes in the Vatican enclosure covered with marble, to try to revive the hesitant efforts to end Russia’s invasion to Ukraine. Both, in addition, were gathered with the leaders of France and the United Kingdom.
The new doubts expressed by Trump arise while the president and his main advisors intensify his efforts to reach an agreement in this regard, which seems increasingly distant.
The statements of the White House leader contrast strongly with the positive evaluation he did a day before, when he assured that the two parties were “very close to an agreement” after their special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Putin in Moscow on Friday.
Now, Trump’s threat of sanctions Al Kremlin departs from his usual rhetoric, which has directed the toughest criticisms to Zelensky, while speaking positively about Putin.
What did Trump and Zelensky talk about during the unusual meeting in the Vatican?
In a publication on the social network Telegram, Zelensky indicated that among the issues he talked to Trump are “the protection of our people’s life. A high full and unconditional fire. A reliable and lasting peace that avoids the resumption of war.”
Likewise, the Ukrainian President said the meeting could be “historical” if the type of peace he expects is achieved.
“It was a good meeting. In person, we could talk about many things. We hope that everything that was spoken of being successful (…) was a very symbolic meeting that could become historical if we achieve joint results. Thank you, President Donald Trump!”
The meeting at the Vatican, the first since the heated encounter in the Oval office, in Washington, last February, occurred at a critical moment in the negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war, which Putin ordered on February 24, 2022.
After Pope Francis’s funeral, Trump approached the Air Force One and left Rome. It was while he was in the air that published the message on his social network, with a tone for the first time hard against President Putin since he promoted the conversations.
A White House spokesman described as “very productive.” The encounter between Republican and Zelensky leader.
In addition to the meeting with Putin, Zelensky took the opportunity to support a series of other bilateral meetings of the highest level, both with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, and with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and in fact one of the most significant photos of the day – which can be seen at the beginning of this note – it is the one that shows that they were talking with Donald Trump, in which they see a few. Reconfiguration of the old Western block.
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