The information was published by the respected Wall Street Journal, based on statements from three sources familiar with the conversation, and reported by the Ukrainian UNN. The reason why Putin has no intention of ending the war is, as Trump told European leaders, that the Russian president believes he is winning.
This admission is what European leaders have long thought about Putin, but this was the first time they had heard it from Trump. It also contradicts Trump’s previous statements that he is convinced that Putin sincerely wants peace.
The WSJ states that Monday’s phone call between Trump and European leaders is part of a European diplomatic offensive, which began about ten days ago, and was aimed at forcing Trump to put pressure on Putin.
Although it failed, European leaders are somewhat satisfied because ‘the process helped everyone, including Trump, clarify Putin’s position, which is that at this stage he does not want to stop the war’.
