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'There’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up' — Trump says on Russia-Ukraine talks

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'There’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up' — Trump says on Russia-Ukraine talks
Donald Trump, then-Republican presidential nominee, arrives at a town hall campaign event at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. on Oct. 20, 2024. (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

President Donald Trump said on April 12 that negotiations for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine were "going fine," but emphasized that a resolution must come soon.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump added that "there’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up. We’ll see what happens, but I think it’s going fine."

Trump’s comments followed a high-level meeting in Russia, where his envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 11. The visit was part of ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to broker a ceasefire between the two countries.

"I think Ukraine-Russia (talks) might be going OK. And you’re going to be finding out pretty soon," Trump said.

One month ago, Ukraine agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in the U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah. In the meantime, Russia has not only refused a full ceasefire, but has also continued to barrage Ukrainian cities with attacks and repeatedly violated the partial truce established in mid-March.

Some critics say Moscow is stalling and has no real interest in halting the fighting, especially as it continues advancing on the battlefield. The Kremlin has not publicly committed to the terms agreed to by Ukraine.

While Trump has at times criticized Zelensky and Ukrainian leadership, he has also recently expressed frustration with Russia.

In a social media post on April 11, Trump said Russia "has to get moving."

"Too many people are dying thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war – A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!"

On April 10, Trump extended the national emergency and the associated sanctions against the Russian government for another year, according to a document from the U.S. Federal Register.

These parents and children were killed by Russia after Kyiv agreed to 30-day ceasefire
One month ago, Ukraine agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire in the U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah, and Russia did not. Russia has soon intensified its attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Russian attacks on Ukraine have killed over 160 civilians in March alone. According to the United Na…
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Olena Goncharova

Head of North America desk

Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.

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