Trump says Putin has 'let me down' over failure to end Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump publicly criticised Vladimir Putin on Thursday, saying the Russian leader had “really let me down” for failing to pursue steps toward ending the war in Ukraine.

Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, Trump said he once believed the conflict would be the “easiest to solve” because of his personal relationship with Putin.

“I thought this war would be one of the easiest to solve because of my relationship with Putin. But he has really let me down,” Trump told reporters.

Frustration after Alaska Summit

Expectations of progress in peace talks have faded since a summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last month, where Trump pressed the Russian president to engage directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. No breakthrough followed.

Trump suggested Putin launched the invasion in February 2022 because “he didn’t respect the leadership of the United States” at the time.

“If I were president, it would have never happened, and it didn’t happen for four years,” he said, arguing that his administration had deterred Russian aggression.

He added that Ukraine was “the apple of [Putin’s] eye” but insisted the Kremlin would not have moved militarily during his first term.

Trump argued that Russia could be forced to “drop out” of the conflict if oil prices fell sharply, urging European countries to curtail energy purchases from Moscow.

“If the oil prices come down, then Russia will settle,” he said.

The US president also reiterated his call for countries like India and China to stop buying Russian oil to help stop the war in Ukraine.

Starmer emphasises unity

Prime Minister Starmer, hosting his first US presidential visit since taking office, underlined the shared goals of the UK and US on security and peace.

“We’re united in defense and security, yes, absolutely, but we’re also united in the pursuit of peace,” he said, citing both Ukraine and Gaza as priorities.

Trump also praised Starmer as a “tough negotiator,” remarking that a bilateral trade deal might have favoured the UK more than the US.