Trump Says Putin 'More Difficult Than Expected' as Ukraine Talks Stall at NATO Summit

Speaking at the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump acknowledged that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine have been more challenging than anticipated. 

He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "more difficult" than initially thought.

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Pressed on whether Putin harbors ambitions beyond Ukraine, Trump replied, "It's possible," calling the Russian leader "misguided" but not explicitly labeling him an enemy. 

He revealed that Putin recently reached out offering to mediate in the Middle East conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran. 

"He called the other day and said: 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said no, you can help me with Russia," Trump stated.

While Trump has previously claimed he could secure a peace deal in Ukraine within 24 hours, he clarified on Wednesday that those remarks were sarcastic, emphasizing the complexity of the conflict. 

"He would like to settle. He would like to get out of this. It's a mess for him," Trump told reporters. "But the negotiations are more difficult than anyone had thought."

The US President confirmed holding a "good" meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit. 

When asked about additional military assistance, Trump said the US would “see” if it could provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems in the future.

All 32 NATO allies agreed to significantly boost their defense spending, pledging to raise it to 5% of GDP over the next decade. 

Trump called the agreement a "big win" for the United States and the broader Western alliance.