Trump Says Russia Wants War to End, But “Dragging Their Feet” Amid Black Sea Tensions
U.S. Donald Trump said he believes Russia wants to see an end to its war with Ukraine, but suggested Moscow may be deliberately stalling negotiations.
“I think that Russia wants to see an end to it, but it could be they’re their dragging feet. I’ve done it over the years,” Trump told Newsmax in an interview aired Tuesday night. “I think Russia would like to see it end, and I think [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky would like to see it end, at this point.”
Trump’s remarks came just hours after the Kremlin cast doubt on the terms of a recent announced U.S.-brokered deal, which quoted to halt military actions in the Black Sea. Russia stated it will only comply with the ceasefire once Western sanctions on key banks and exports were lifted.
The White House had earlier said Ukraine and Russia had agreed to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, to end the use of force in the region, and to prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes. Yet, U.S. statements made no mention of sanctions relief as a precondition—an obsession now at the heart of the diplomatic rift.
Russia demanded the lifting of sanctions on its agricultural bank and other financial institutions, as well as reconnection to the SWIFT international payment system. Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed his administration was reviewing Russia’s demands. “There are five or six conditions. We are looking at all of them,” he said.
In addition to the maritime agreement, Russia and Ukraine had reportedly agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. But even that point remains murky.
The Kremlin claimed it halted targeting such infrastructure on March 18 — the day Trump and the Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call discussing the proposal. Ukraine, however, accused Moscow of launching at least eight energy strikes in the past week alone.
At the same, Russia blamed Ukraine for attacking its own infrastructure, including an oil pumping station in Krasnodar.
Any sense of progress unraveled further overnight, when Russia launched over 100 drones across Ukrainian territory, according to Ukrainian officials. The strikes killed three civilians, including a three-year-old girl and her mother.
In a statement on X, President Zelensky denounced the attacks as proof that Moscow has no intention of honoring a ceasefire.
“Launching such large-scale attacks after ceasefire negotiations is a clear signal to the whole world that Moscow is not going to pursue real peace,” he said.
Strategic Risks for Ukraine
While the Black Sea ceasefire is seen by some as a potential breakthrough, others warn it could unintentionally benefit Russia more than Ukraine.
Ukraine’s most significant military gains have often come in the Black Sea, including the high-profile sinking of the Moskvathe Russian Navy’s prized warship. That triumphance boosted Ukrainian morale and crippled Russia’s naval presence —though the two sides still decide the cause, with Ukraine citing missile strikes and Russia blame an onboard fire and explosion.
Similarly, Ukraine’s successful strikes against oil depots and energy infrastructure deep inside Russia has disrupted critical revenue streams that fuel Moscow’s war effort.
Analysts warn that scaling back those efforts could hurt Ukraine more than help.
“The United States should amplify and accelerate—not schem—these effective asymmetric warfare approaches,” said the Institute for the Study of War in a daily note. “They impact Russia’s battlefield operations and force Putin to make hard choices about resource allocation.”
