Zelensky says Trump at Vatican meeting was ready to sanction Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said to reporters on Tuesday that President Trump was supportive of imposing further sanctions on Russia after the two leaders met in Vatican City in late April.
'President Trump supported that if Russia does not stop, there will be sanctions. Our conversation was positive from the point of view that I perceive our conversation as a confirmation of the U.S. policy of imposing strong sanctions against Russia if [Russia's President Vladimir] Putin does not agree to a ceasefire,' Zelensky said during a briefing, remarks of which were published Wednesday by The Washington Post.
The meeting between the two presidents took place at the Vatican on April 26, just ahead of Pope Francis's funeral.
The United States has not slapped new sanctions so far. Republicans Senators have pushed the president to impose new measures against the Kremlin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote on Tuesday that it is time 'FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS 'game over.''
Senators have readied a new sanctions package that has garnered support from over 80 lawmakers in the upper chamber. The measure includes a 500 percent tariff on imported goods from countries that purchase Russian uranium, gas and oil.
When asked on Wednesday about instituting new sanctions on Russia, Trump told reporters he thinks he is 'close to getting a deal, I don't want to screw it up by doing that.'
The Trump administration has pushed to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has refused to sign onto an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, a proposal that Ukraine is supportive of.
Trump has ramped up his criticism of Putin in recent days as Kremlin forces have continued to launch drones and missiles into dozens of Ukraine's regions, including the capital Kyiv.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now a top national security official, appeared to warn Trump about the possibility of World War III as tensions have risen.
'Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII,' Medvedev said Tuesday on social media platform X. 'I hope Trump understands this.'
Zelensky met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday in Berlin. Merz said that Germany will increase its support for Ukraine, including sending military equipment and bolstering the production of weapons made in Ukraine. The cooperation, worth north of $5.5 billion, would entail helping make air defense systems, weapons.
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