Trump says he is ‘disappointed but not done’ with Putin

WASHINGTON DC: U.S. President Donald Trump, in an exclusive phone interview with the BBC,  expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he is “disappointed but not done” with him. When asked directly if he trusts the Russian leader, Trump responded, “I trust almost nobody.”

The remarks came just hours after Trump announced a plan to send weapons to Ukraine and warned that Russia could face severe economic tariffs if a ceasefire isn’t reached within 50 days.

Speaking from the Oval Office, he also reaffirmed his commitment to NATO—an alliance he once called “obsolete”—and voiced support for its mutual defense obligations.

The 20-minute call followed earlier discussions about a potential interview to mark the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to BBC.

Reflecting briefly on the incident, Trump said he prefers not to dwell on it. “I don’t like to think about if it did change me,” he said, noting that doing so “could be life-changing.”

Following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump devoted much of the conversation to his dissatisfaction with Putin. He said he had believed a peace deal with Russia over Ukraine was within reach on four separate occasions.

When asked by BBC if he had given up on Putin, Trump replied, “I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him.” He emphasized ongoing efforts to reach a resolution: “We’re working at it, Gary,” he told the interviewer.

Trump described moments where discussions seemed promising, only for Russia to escalate aggression again, including bombing buildings in Kyiv.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, resulting in record civilian casualties. The war began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

President Putin maintains that he seeks peace, but insists the conflict stems from unresolved “root causes,” which he attributes to perceived security threats from Ukraine, NATO, and the broader Western alliance.

(BBC)