Trump says he is disappointed with Putin, not worried about China-Russia ties
A visitor stands near an art installation portraying China's President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin during the ARTSUBS exhibition in Surabaya, Aug. 2. AFP-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was "very disappointed" in Russian President Vladimir Putin and added without elaborating that his administration was planning to take some actions to bring down deaths in Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Republican leader also said he was not concerned about warm ties between Russia and China.
Trump held a summit with Putin in Alaska in mid-August and subsequently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European and NATO alliance leaders at the White House.
Following those meetings, Trump said he expected Zelenskyy and Putin to hold a bilateral meeting before a trilateral meeting that would also include Trump. Zelenskyy has said Russia was doing everything it could to prevent a meeting between him and Putin, while Russia says the agenda for such a meeting was not ready.
"I am very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that, and we will be doing something to help people live," Trump said in an interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show.
Trump has told Zelenskyy that Washington would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal. Trump has also renewed a threat to impose further sanctions on Russia if there is no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine, and Trump has said "land-swapping" and changes to territory will be crucial for any settlement.
Ukraine opposes the idea of legally recognizing any Ukrainian territory as Russian. But it has tacitly acknowledged it will almost certainly have to accept some de facto territorial losses.
'Not concerned' about China-Russia ties
Trump was also asked in the interview if he was concerned "about an axis forming against the United States with China and Russia."
"I am not concerned at all ... We have the strongest military in the world, by far. They would never use their military on us. Believe me," he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Putin on Tuesday for talks in China, calling him his "old friend."
Xi also held talks on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country has been targeted by Trump over its purchases of Russian oil.
China kicked off its largest-ever military parade on Wednesday in a show of its growing firepower and geopolitical clout as Xi sought to cast Beijing as the custodian of a post-U.S. international order.
"May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un, as you conspire against The United States of America," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.