Trump Warns Ukraine 'Will Be Crushed' Without Peace Deal

Former President Donald Trump has recently expressed growing skepticism about the possibility of brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, stating that Ukraine could be 'crushed very soon' without such an agreement. In several interviews, Trump emphasized his belief that he is 'saving' Ukraine and claimed that the current war would not have occurred if he had remained president. He distinguished between supporting Ukraine as a country and supporting President Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom he described having a difficult relationship, suggesting that Zelensky is demanding more than he can leverage. Trump reiterated his administration's past military support, such as providing Javelin missiles, but also indicated that future aid could take various forms, including sanctions or banking measures rather than direct weaponry. He has threatened to walk away from peace negotiations if progress is not made, framing the conflict as a consequence of President Biden's leadership and distancing himself from responsibility for the ongoing war.