Trump begins to realize Putin never wanted peace – Ukrainian official
Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
US President Donald Trump had long hoped that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to negotiations. But now Trump is beginning to realize that Putin is not interested in talks — he is stalling for time, damaging the US president's reputation, and undermining him through his actions, said Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak.
Responding to a question about whether Trump may have orchestrated the "drama" of halting arms deliveries to Ukraine solely for Putin's benefit, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak suggested that even if that were the case, the outcome will now be much worse for the Russian President in terms of relations with the United States.
"From the perspective of halting weapons supplies, this triggered a very clear reaction from European leaders, US-based European partners, American political elites — and of course, from Ukraine," he noted.
Trump hoped for talks with Russia
According to Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak, the situation may have accelerated a sort of "realignment of priorities" for Trump. He is beginning to understand who Putin really is — a Russian dictator who openly lies and has no intention of ending the war in Ukraine.
This has long been clear in Kyiv and to Ukraine's European partners. But Trump had held out hope for a "window for negotiations" and the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Kremlin.
"Today, Trump clearly realizes that Putin is attacking his reputation. Putin is doing this deliberately — he says one thing and does another, he has no intention of supporting any American peace initiatives, and he is interested in provoking a deep rift between Europe and the US. Most importantly, he wants attention to remain focused on internal conflicts," Podolyak explained.
What the Kremlin dreams of
Podolyak reminded that Russia has a major ambition. The Kremlin wants Ukraine to be left alone — isolated against Russia and its North Korean allies.
"In that case, Russia would feel free to completely erase all red lines within the rules of warfare and proceed with mass killings of civilians," he explained.
The Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President also noted that Putin has a strong affinity for symbolism. For example, his July 4th attack on Kyiv came immediately after a conversation with Trump — and on the same day the United States celebrates Independence Day.
"Putin is trying to show who's the boss, at least in his own mind," he added.
How the weapons supply "drama" might end
According to Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak, there are two key takeaways Trump should grasp from this situation. First — Russia must be forced to end the war. Second — there is nothing to negotiate with the Russians.
"Today, by the way, Merz, the Chancellor of Germany — someone who clearly understands the role a renewed Germany can play in a united Europe and how to deal with Russia — said that the time for diplomacy is over. In my view, it never really existed," Podolyak said.
He reminded that Russia is a country that must either be compelled to fulfill its obligations — or it will impose its own irrational demands through force.
On the other hand, Trump is gradually coming to understand that Russia is not capable of genuine negotiations. And that the only way to deal with the Kremlin is through pressure. From this point on, it becomes a matter of domestic US debate.
"Trump will undoubtedly need some more time to institutionalize this understanding. But once that happens — once legislation is passed by Congress and sanctions are introduced — considering Trump's personality type, we can expect faster logistical decisions: more weapons deliveries, tougher rhetoric toward Russia, and a more aggressive isolation policy," Podolyak concluded.
Weapons supply to Ukraine resumes
US President Donald Trump recently announced that the United States would provide defensive weapons to Ukraine. He later reaffirmed this, adding that Putin is "killing too many people" in Ukraine. Trump also acknowledged that Putin lies to him constantly and promised the Russian President some unpleasant surprises from Washington.
Just a week earlier, on July 1, the United States had halted weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Some shipments were even stopped near the border as they were already en route from Rzeszów, Poland. The White House confirmed the pause, stating that the primary concern was the United States' own defense needs.
However, the decision sparked a wave of criticism directed at Trump — even from within the Republican Party. It later emerged that the suspension of military aid had been pushed by two individuals: Pentagon adviser Elbridge A. Colby, a longtime opponent of arms deliveries to Ukraine, and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former TV host. Hegseth reportedly made the decision without informing the White House.
