President Trump met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the White House on Wednesday, September 3rd, where they discussed the Russia-Ukraine war issue. Trump mentioned that he had no information to relay to Russian President Putin and was waiting for Russia to make a decision. He also stated that he would have a call with Putin in the coming days. The day before, Trump expressed his disappointment with Putin.
“I have no information to convey to President Putin. He knows where I stand, and he will make a decision. Whatever his decision is, we will either be satisfied or dissatisfied; if we are dissatisfied, you will see some things happen,” Trump said.
“I will be speaking with him soon, and I will have a general idea of what we are going to do. As you know, we have taken very tough actions, and in other ways, we have also taken very tough actions. But I will talk to him in the next few days, and we’ll see. I will know exactly what has happened,” Trump said. “However, I am dissatisfied with everyone. Last week, 7,819 people died, they were Russian soldiers and Ukrainian soldiers, right? Not American soldiers, not Polish soldiers. They are people, they are living souls.”
Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the largest-ever military parade held in Beijing on Wednesday, while Trump stated on his media platform, Truth Social, on Tuesday night that China, Russia, and North Korea were conspiring against the United States.
In response to Trump’s accusations, Putin remarked on Wednesday, “The U.S. president does have a sense of humor, which is obvious, we all understand.”
He also stated that all the countries involved in the talks with Russia in China supported the Russia-US Alaska Summit and no one has made any negative comments about the current U.S. government.
As Putin concluded his visit to China on Wednesday, he expressed optimism about ending the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic means. He mentioned that considering the “sincere efforts” shown by the United States in resolving the war, he felt a “glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.”
Putin told reporters that if everyone acted rationally, “it is possible to end this conflict and reach an acceptable solution. That’s my judgment.”
However, Putin also emphasized that if negotiations fail, “then we will have to resolve all the issues in front of us using force.”
Regarding Trump’s proposal for a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, Putin said, “President Trump wants me to hold such a meeting, and I said, ‘It is possible. If Ukrainian President Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow, and such a meeting will take place.'”
“I have never ruled out the possibility of meeting with him. But does it make sense to meet with him?” he added, once again questioning the legitimacy of President Zelensky’s term.
Zelensky’s presidential term ended in May 2024, but due to the Ukraine war, he continued to stay in office after his term expired. Russia stated that the Ukrainian constitution does not allow for delaying elections in such circumstances and considered it as Kyiv’s excuse to not hold presidential elections.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister dismissed the suggestion of Moscow as a negotiation venue, calling it “unacceptable.”
Zelensky has been seeking a meeting with Putin. He mentioned that some crucial issues can only be resolved at the leadership level. He urged Trump that if Putin did not agree to the meeting, further sanctions should be imposed on Russia.
In the latest series of massive airstrikes, Russia launched over 500 drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine, hitting 14 energy and transportation infrastructure sites, resulting in four railway workers getting injured.
Furthermore, Ukrainian local officials later reported that at least nine people were killed in the eastern town of Kostiantynivka. The town serves as a crucial logistical hub for the Ukrainian army defending the front lines.
Zelensky called for increased pressure on Russia on Wednesday. He posted on Telegram, stating, “These attacks by Russia are evidently demonstrative. It is precisely due to the lack of sufficient pressure, mainly the lack of economic pressure on Russia’s war economy, that such aggressive behavior continues.”