Trump Reportedly Tells European Leaders Putin Won't End The War Because He Thinks He Is Winning

President Donald Trump reportedly toll European leaders that Vladimir Putin isn't ready to end the war in Ukraine because he thinks he is winning.

The Wall Street Journal detailed that the comment was not a surprise for the five leaders gathered in Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They long believed that is Putin's stance, but was the first time they heard it from Trump.

The comment stands in contrast with public comments from the U.S. president, especially after a two-hour call with his Russian counterpart on Monday. Then, he said the "tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent" and "it it wasn't, I would say so now."

The outlet added that, before the call with Putin, Trump had signaled openness to impose additional sanctions on Russia if he refused a ceasefire. However, he shifted his stance on Monday, saying he wanted to proceed with lower-level talks between the two parties at the Vatican. Trump said on Monday that Pope Leo XIV is "very interested" in hosting the negotiations.

Vice President JD Vance, on his end, said he believes Putin "doesn't quite know how to get out the war" in Ukraine. "He's got a million men under arms, he's reengineered his entire economy. I'm not sure that Vladimir Putin has a strategy himself on how to unwind the war," Vance told reporters aboard Air Force Two after being received by the pope earlier this week.

The Wall Street Journal noted that European leaders insisted that the outcome of the talks must be an unconditional ceasefire. Trump, however, said he doesn't like the term "unconditional." The talks are expected to begin in mid June.