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After Putin call, Trump suggests Ukraine, Russia should ‘fight for a while’
The Washington Post ^ | June 5, 2025 5:54 p.m. EDT | Mary Ilyushina , Robyn Dixon and Michael Birnbaum

Posted on 06/05/2025 5:49:23 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

The comments, in an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, were Trump’s clearest indication to date that he was unsure he would be able to quell Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia may need to keep fighting, President Donald Trump said Thursday, comparing the warring nations to squabbling children in what appeared to be a signal that the U.S. leader was losing interest in brokering peace in a conflict he once promised to end in a day.

The comments, in an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, were Trump’s clearest indication to date that he was unsure he would be able to quell Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv on Sunday launched a spectacular drone operation against Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers, damaging many of them and drawing a vow of reprisal from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other, and they’re fighting in a park, and you try and pull them apart. They don’t want to be pulled, sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while,” Trump said alongside Merz, adding that he’d related that analogy to Putin in the call.

The passive approach was a setback for Merz, who sat with Trump on Thursday hoping to spark a more robust White House backing for Kyiv against Russia. Merz has vowed a more active German approach to the conflict in his first month on the job, promising a massive increase in defense spending.

Instead of going along with Merz, Trump continued his pattern of speaking of the Russian war in Ukraine as though he were a passive commentator. The president had a telephone call with Putin on Wednesday. Afterward, he wrote on social media that it was a good talk, “but not...”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; European Union; Foreign Affairs; France; Germany; Russia; US: District of Columbia; Ukraine; United Kingdom; War
KEYWORDS: axisofdemworldpolice; bidensfolly; botched2022treaty; butbutbutpoootler; cutoffaid; dayone; democratworldpolice; districtofcolumbia; europeanunion; eussr; fakenews; fourthreich; france; friedrichmerz; germany; jeffbezos; literallypoootler; maryilyushina; michaelbirnbaum; notourwar; notourwardemshill; notourwarohreally; robyndixon; russiansuicide; russiantrollfarm; ruzzziaomgomg; swampniks; unitedkingdom; vladtheimploder; vladtheimpoootler; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost; yahtzee
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1 posted on 06/05/2025 5:49:23 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

That’s as close to DJT walking away from this mess as I’ve seen. I’ll take it!!


2 posted on 06/05/2025 5:54:05 PM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This is best way


3 posted on 06/05/2025 5:58:13 PM PDT by montag813
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To: JonPreston

Absolutely.

Putin and Z can fight to the death for all I care. But I do think Putin is more intelligent, not that it means anything.


4 posted on 06/05/2025 6:01:32 PM PDT by Veto! (Trump Is Superman)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I get the feeling Trump is done working with children. If the Ukrainian people are done with this war, they are the ones that need to do something about it. But we DEFINITELY should not be supplying arms.


5 posted on 06/05/2025 6:04:09 PM PDT by cuban leaf (2024 is going to be one for the history books, like 1939. And 2025 will be more so, like 1940-1945.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This was my position on day one.

It’s a border squabble between two former Soviet states… let em fight.


6 posted on 06/05/2025 6:04:37 PM PDT by CapandBall
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Yup. Trump gets it.

Boys will be boys and need to whack each other for a while to get it out of their system. Unlike hockey, though, the consequences will be a bit costlier than 5 minutes in the penalty box.


7 posted on 06/05/2025 6:05:47 PM PDT by rfp1234 (E Porcibus Unum)
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To: JonPreston

Yes, but are we still going to be funding it? I hope not, but I am not so sure we will get the truth anymore.


8 posted on 06/05/2025 6:08:26 PM PDT by dforest
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Russia knows who the war mongers are that are pushing this chaos and they know it’s not Trump:
Western deep state very uncomfortable with Putin-Trump dialogue — Russian official
“Yesterday’s telephone conversation between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States took place in a constructive atmosphere, predictably causing panic in the Western deep state and the media it controls….
Dmitriev pointed out that the West and the media under its control saw any prospect for dialogue and cooperation as a direct threat to the system built on what he called “managed instability.”
https://tass.com/politics/1969321


9 posted on 06/05/2025 6:08:50 PM PDT by doc maverick
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Headline: Trump Endorses Continued Bloodshed in Ukraine.


10 posted on 06/05/2025 6:11:22 PM PDT by Apparatchik (Русские свиньи, идите домой!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This has been a great day.


11 posted on 06/05/2025 6:23:24 PM PDT by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA, AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Sounds like a hockey fight. Let them have a few minutes to drop their gloves and punch it out...except, in this case, the ref trying to break it up has nukes


12 posted on 06/05/2025 6:28:49 PM PDT by chuckee
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Trump suggests Ukraine, Russia should ‘fight for a while’”

They are going at it tonight, exchanging air attacks.

Lights out in parts of Kyiv, and two Russian oil refineries burning (Saratov and Engels, both near big Russian Air Bases, likely providing them Aviation fuel).


13 posted on 06/05/2025 6:31:16 PM PDT by BeauBo
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To: cuban leaf
If the Ukrainian people are done with this war, they are the ones that need to do something about it.

Putin wants to conquer Ukraine.

Anyway, Trump's point is that it is the EU's sphere of influence. Their continent. Not ours.

14 posted on 06/05/2025 6:33:47 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Russia will suffer more and more major attacks inside Russia in this new phase of the war. Ukraine will get help from Europe and The U.S. to do it. Russia is not going to stop until the costs are too high and even then they may just motor through it and destroy themselves.

Putin miscalculated. He should’ve worked closely with Trump and made it clear that he was committed to peace. Russia would’ve been rewarded and their stature on the world stage would’ve been elevated. Now...


15 posted on 06/05/2025 6:34:48 PM PDT by McCarthysGhost
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To: McCarthysGhost
Russia is not going to stop until the costs are too high and even then they may just motor through it and destroy themselves.

More likely they'd launch some nukes to start the global nuclear war you war groupies want so badly.

16 posted on 06/05/2025 6:36:48 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
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To: cuban leaf
If the Ukrainian people are done with this war, they are the ones that need to do something about it.

And what do you suggest that they do? Putin has given them only two choices: fight or surrender and die. Putin is the one who is driving this war and no one else.

17 posted on 06/05/2025 6:37:13 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: CapandBall
It’s a border squabble between two former Soviet states…

If that is what you think then you have not been keeping up. This is not just about some disputed provinces. Putin is demanding that Ukraine surrender and cease to be an independent country, and cease to be Ukrainian.

18 posted on 06/05/2025 6:39:36 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: BeauBo

You’re right:

BREAKING: Russia just launched a Full on Air assault on Kyiv.

Reports suggest it’s the most devastating attack of the war so far.

https://twitter.com/thepatriotoasis/status/1930789379095642569?s=46


19 posted on 06/05/2025 6:44:28 PM PDT by packagingguy
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To: doc maverick

Trump sounds as if he is going to approve any and all exports of weaponry to Ukraine that Europe pays for, but, at the same time, start to reduce the flow of money from the U.S. treasury, meant for the same purpose (paying defense contractors).

For sure we’re not paying any more money for Ukie civil service or retirements.


20 posted on 06/05/2025 6:46:41 PM PDT by one guy in new jersey
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