Trump signals frustration with Putin’s games

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told reporters Tuesday that President Donald Trump is increasingly frustrated with Russia—just as he had been previously with Ukraine—as the U.S. leader pushes for an end to the war and what he called “the tragedy we’re seeing play out daily and hourly.”

Speaking during a virtual press briefing ahead of this week’s critical talks in Turkey, Whitaker underscored that the United States remains focused on facilitating peace but cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions must be evaluated through actions, not statements.

“We ultimately have to judge Putin’s commitment to a lasting ceasefire by actions, not words,” Whitaker said. “We need to get to the table and negotiate an end to this war. If that doesn’t happen, the war won’t end.”

The summit in Istanbul, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to bring Ukrainian and Russian delegations face to face for high-stakes negotiations. Over the weekend, Ukraine and its European allies called on Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire by Monday or face another round of sanctions. As the deadline passed, the Kremlin remained silent, prompting renewed concern among Western leaders.

When asked about the possibility of additional sanctions, Whitaker responded cautiously. “We just have to take this a step at a time. From where I sit right now, I believe we are as close as we’ve ever been to ending this war and stopping the fighting.”

President Trump has reportedly dispatched senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg to attend Thursday’s summit, which was initiated by Russia. Their presence signals the administration’s readiness to support direct diplomacy between Kyiv and Moscow.