U.S. President Donald Trump admitted that negotiating peace with Russian President Vladimir Putin is tougher than Gaza talks, marking Putin’s 73rd birthday amid rising global tensions and stalled Ukraine diplomacy.
WEBDESK — In a striking admission, U.S. President Donald Trump said that negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war has turned out to be “tougher” than achieving peace in Gaza — a rare acknowledgment of diplomatic difficulty from a leader known for his confidence in dealmaking.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could “end the Ukraine conflict overnight,” told reporters on Tuesday that the challenge with Moscow has exceeded his expectations. “It’s a crazy thing. I thought that would have been one of the easy ones,” he said.
The remark came as Putin marked his 73rd birthday, highlighting the Russian leader’s enduring dominance on the global stage amid Washington’s mounting struggle to broker a ceasefire in Eastern Europe.
Trump also said a Gaza peace deal was ‘very close’, signaling progress in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. Yet the Ukraine war — now in its fourth year — continues to defy Washington’s diplomatic efforts.
The president’s comments followed a tense meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, where Trump’s offhand suggestion of a U.S.-Canada “merger” prompted swift rejection from Ottawa and renewed criticism from Congress over his trade policies.
As global tensions rise, Trump’s contrast between optimism in the Middle East and frustration with Russia underscores how the path to peace with Putin remains his toughest political test yet.
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