Trump: I'll decide within two weeks for next steps to end the war in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said he would decide on his position in terms of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in the next two weeks, and again warned he could impose sanctions against Russia.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on August 22nd, he said he wants to see if Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that Ukrainian, Volodyr Zelensky, will meet first.

I think I'll know. I think I'll know the behavior of Russia, and frankly, even Ukraine”, Trump said when asked what he would do at the end of the two-week deadline for assessing the state of nuclear talks.

The “will decide what we will do and it will be a very important decision”, he said. “se will be massive sanctions, massive tariffs or both. Or I won't do anything and I'll tell you: This is your war.

Trump earlier suggested that the White House is working to broker a meeting between Putin and Zelensky to discuss the end of the war and that a trilateral meeting would include the two leaders and Trumpi, who would later join the meeting.

Trump spoke at an event at the White House to announce that the 2026 World Cup lots will be held in Washington in December. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino joined the Trump in announcing this announcement, while the United States, Canada and Mexico are preparing to organise the event.

Trump also suggested Putin could participate in the World Cup. Holding a photograph that said Putin had sent after their summit in Alaska last week, Trump said the head of the Kremlin “would very much like to be there” and “could come and might not come to”, depending on the result of peace efforts in Ukraine.

Russian teams have been banned from participating in the World Cup and other international sports contests due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier, on August 22nd, Trump said Putin and Zelensky were like “vai and vinegar”, and it was not clear whether a trilateral meeting would take place.

We'll see if I have to be there or not”, he said. “I'd rather not be, I'd like them to hold a meeting and see how they could make it”.

Trump also said it was the unhappy “” for a Russian attack conducted by Russia on 21 August against an American-owned factory in Ukraine. Some workers were injured in the attack on the factory, which is one of the largest American investments in Ukraine.

Earlier this week after meeting with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House, Trump said he had started arrangements for a Putin-Zelensky meeting after a telephone conversation he conducted with the Russian leader.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov seems to deny such plans, telling US broadcaster NBC that there is no agenda for such a summit.

“Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda is ready for a summit. And this agenda is not nearly”, he said.

This statement reflects Moscow's stance that such a meeting is impossible unless certain conditions are met.

On August 22nd, Zelensky said Russia is doing everything it can to prevent a meeting of him with Putin. He reiterated Putin's call to hold such a meeting, saying it is the only way to negotiate the outcome of the war. / REL/