"Vladimir isn't ready for peace"

US President Donald Trump admitted to European leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not want peace with Ukraine", European officials told the Wall Street Journal.

This information has been denied by the White House. Senior officials told the media that, during a call on Monday, the US President said to these European leaders that Putin isn't ready to end the war in Ukraine because he believes he's winning.

Furthermore, one of the European officials who took part in the call said that Mr Trump began Monday's conversation by stating: "I think Vladimir doesn't want peace." However, the European officials described the call as confusing and contradictory, as Mr Trump also claimed that he thought Mr Putin did ultimately want peace, albeit on Russia's terms.

According to the WSJ, the Europeans concluded that Mr Trump didn't believe a short-term peace agreement was in sight and that the war was Europe's problem.

(MH with FM - Source: Wall Street Journal - Photo: © DPA - NurPhoto - Andrew Leyden)