“I would say I’m very disappointed in President Putin. We had a great relationship, but I’m very disappointed,” Trump said on Scott Jennings’ radio show on September 2, when asked about his feelings toward Putin's response following the summit in Alaska.
Since the summit last month, Trump has urged Putin to initiate bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On August 29, the Kremlin said Putin was not ruling out meeting Zelensky, but emphasized that any meeting would require careful preparation. Russia has also intensified attacks on Kyiv in recent days.
However, Trump did not clarify what consequences Russia would face if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached. After the Alaska summit, Trump occasionally threatened sanctions against Russia but also suggested that he might let Russia and Ukraine handle the situation independently.
“We’ll do something to ensure people can live in peace,” President Trump added. When later asked in the Oval Office whether he had spoken to President Putin recently, Trump responded, “I’ve learned some very interesting things. In the coming days, everyone will know,” and added that there would be consequences if Putin and Zelensky do not meet to end the war.
Russia has not yet commented on Trump’s statements.
On September 1, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration would consider response options this week when asked about the possibility of sanctions against Russia.
“President Putin has done the opposite of what he promised. In fact, he has increased the attacks. So I think President Trump will consider all options,” Bessent said.
Upon returning to the White House, Trump ramped up efforts to mediate an end to the Ukraine conflict. He held a summit with Putin on August 15 in Alaska, followed by meetings with European leaders and President Zelensky at the White House on August 18.
These events raised hopes for a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky to discuss potential peace talks. Initially, both leaders seemed open to the idea, but subsequent developments suggest that the prospects for peace negotiations remain slim.