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Yuri Zoria


Trump compares Russia-Ukraine war to playground fight, hints at punishing both Russia and Ukraine

He said the conflict might need to run its course before diplomacy can work.
trump compares russia-ukraine war playground fight hints punishing both russia ukraine president donald (r) german chancellor friedrich merz white house 5 2025 44c84ea9-0d7f-42df-be34-474437ee said conflict need run its course before
US President Donald Trump (R) with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on 5 June 2025. Image: AFP
Trump compares Russia-Ukraine war to playground fight, hints at punishing both Russia and Ukraine

US President Donald Trump suggested that allowing Russia and Ukraine to continue fighting might be preferable for him for the time being, as he met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on 5 June at the White House, RFE/RL reported. The statement came just hours before hundreds of Russian drones and missiles struck residential areas in Kyiv, Ternopil, Lutsk, and other Ukrainian cities.

Since taking office in January, Trump had been advocating for talks between Moscow and Kyiv to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But with Russia maintaining maximalist demands that amount to Ukraine’s capitulation, and continuing to target civilians and infrastructure, Trump’s efforts have proven ineffective — and he now appears to be starting to realize that his idea was flawed from the outset.

Trump signals retreat from his peace effort

According to Axios, Trump compared the ongoing war, in which Russia destroys multiple Ukrainian cities and keeps killing Ukrainian civilians, to a playground fight:

“Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy, they hate each other and they’re fighting in a park. Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” RFE/RL cited Trump as saying.

Trump said this analogy was something he shared with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call on 4 June. The US President described himself like “a hockey referee letting players fight for a bit before putting an end to it.”

Trump, per Axios, acknowledged that “bad blood” and deep “hatred” between the sides — especially between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — made it difficult to reach a ceasefire. He said that “a lot of animosity” existed between the two leaders, according to RFE/RL.

Trump refuses to commit on Russia sanctions

When asked three times whether he would back new sanctions on Russia or support the sanctions bill sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump was non-committal, Axios reported.

He said he would discuss the matter with Merz but noted, per Axios,

“When I see the moment where it’s not gonna stop, we will be very tough, and it could be on both countries.” Trump added, “It takes two to tango.”

He also stated,

If Russia is out of line, you will be amazed how tough [I’ll be].

None of Trump’s earlier threats toward Russia have gone beyond rhetoric.

EU pushes for more sanctions

According to RFE/RL, Merz said he discussed sanctions with US senators and noted that the European Union is currently debating its 18th sanctions package since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. He predicted it would pass.