Donald Trump is reported to have made the remarks following his two-hour long phone call with his Vladimir Putin.

Republican lawmakers are urging President Trump to take a much tougher line against Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine, arguing that Putin is not serious about peace. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.

Despite frequent nuclear threats from Vladimir Putin since the Ukraine war began, including a November 2024 lowering of Russia’s nuclear use threshold, actual employment of such weapons remains highly doubtful.

Rubio explained his stance by saying that the Untied States is focused on negotiating an end to the Russo–Ukrainian war. During the hearing, Democratic Rep. Bill Keating recalled Rubio’s previous harsh criticism of Putin when the Florida lawmaker was still a senator and asked if he still considers Putin a “war criminal.

Trump’s post on X following his two-hour phone call with Putin should have come as no surprise. Days prior to the conversation, a senior European diplomat told the Financial Times, “Putin is doing just enough to convince Trump that he is engaged in this effort to find peace in Ukraine,