Trump’s Patience Snaps as Putin Stalls Ukraine Peace

U.S. President Donald Trump’s patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “running out fast” as peace talks to end the three-and-a-half-year Russia-Ukraine war remain stalled, with Moscow refusing to compromise and escalating military actions. Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Trump expressed frustration, stating, “It’s amazing. When Putin wanted to do it, Zelensky didn’t. When Zelensky wanted to do it, Putin didn’t. Now Zelensky wants to, and Putin is a question mark.” He hinted at tougher measures, saying, “We’re going to have to come down very, very strong,” but stopped short of committing to new sanctions.

The Kremlin confirmed the pause in negotiations on Friday, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling AFP, “For now, it is probably more accurate to talk about a pause.” Peskov cautioned against expecting “lightning-fast results,” despite Trump’s earlier claims of securing peace within 24 hours. Three rounds of talks in Istanbul and a high-profile Trump-Putin summit in Alaska last month have yielded little beyond prisoner swaps, with Russia demanding Ukraine cede the Donbas region—over 2,500 square miles it partially controls—while Kyiv insists on no territorial concessions and pushes for a Putin-Zelensky summit.

Tensions have surged after Poland accused Russia of deliberately sending 19 drones into its airspace on Wednesday, three of which were shot down by Polish and NATO forces. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejected Trump’s suggestion that the incursion was accidental, warning on X that Poland is closer to “open conflict” than at any time since World War II. Russia denied targeting Poland, claiming the drones were part of Ukraine operations, but the incident has heightened fears of NATO-Russia escalation.

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Adding to the strain, Russia and Belarus launched the “Zapad-2025” military drills on Friday, involving armored vehicles, helicopters, and naval ships in the Baltic and Barents seas. Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, alarmed by the exercises near their borders, have deployed 40,000 troops and closed parts of their airspace. NATO downplayed immediate threats, with a spokesman stating it sees “no immediate military threat against any ally,” but the drills have intensified regional unease.

On the battlefield, Russia claimed a new settlement in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, while accusing Kyiv of attacking a nuclear plant. The European Union extended sanctions on over 2,500 Russian entities, including Putin, for another six months, while Japan tightened its Russian oil price cap and Britain targeted Moscow’s shadow fleet. As Trump’s diplomatic efforts falter, the growing rift with Putin and rising European tensions signal a precarious path ahead for Ukraine’s peace prospects.

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