Trump Tells EU Leaders Putin Isn't Ready to End War, Believes He's Winning – WSJ

🇺🇸 Trump Tells EU Leaders Putin Isn’t Ready to End War, Believes He’s Winning – WSJ

May 22, 2025 – In a private conversation with European Union leaders earlier this week, President Donald Trump reportedly stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t ready to end the war in Ukraine because he believes he’s winning. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), sources close to the call confirmed Trump’s remarks on Monday, which revealed the U.S. President’s assessment of the ongoing conflict.

During the conversation, Trump emphasized that Putin has not shown any signs of readiness to seek peace, as he perceives his position in the war to be advantageous. Trump’s stance appears to diverge from the EU’s, with European leaders urging him to understand how deeply they are committed to supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression.

In addition to discussing Putin's reluctance to end the war, Trump shifted the conversation to lower-level negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, taking place at the Vatican. These talks have been seen as a potential avenue to de-escalate tensions, though the effectiveness of such discussions remains uncertain.

On the economic front, the geopolitical tension continues to impact global markets. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the strength of the US Dollar against a basket of other currencies, is still on a decline as of Thursday morning, losing 0.11%, currently trading at 99.50. This reflects broader uncertainty in the market as geopolitical risks, particularly surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, continue to weigh on investor sentiment.

While Trump’s remarks offer insight into the U.S. President’s view of the conflict, they also highlight the continuing divergence between the U.S. and EU approaches to the war. European leaders have been vocal in their commitment to supporting Ukraine, both militarily and economically, while Trump’s comments suggest a different approach focused on finding paths to negotiation rather than confrontation.

The ongoing situation remains fluid, with developments in both the conflict and international diplomatic efforts likely to shape both global politics and market dynamics in the coming weeks.