Trump expresses optimism that Russia and Ukraine will reach agreement

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that Russia and Ukraine will reach an agreement to end the conflict.

Speaking to reporters during his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Trump said he believes both sides want to reach a settlement, NBC News reported.

“I think they both want to make a deal,” he said. The U.S. president recalled that he had held positive conversations in recent days with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“They both want to solve it…. That’s what I do in my life — I make deals, and I think they’ll work it out. I hope soon,” Trump said.

He also once again expressed disappointment with his NATO allies. “If it weren’t being held in Türkiye, where my friend [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] is a very strong leader, a very strong person, I might not have attended,” Trump said of the NATO summit. Trump again complained that NATO had not supported the United States during its operations against Iran.

“We were not treated well because we did something in Iran. We don’t need anybody’s help. I didn’t even want help…. They said they wouldn’t stand with us, and we’ve invested trillions of dollars in NATO. Why? To protect the European countries and other countries, Canada and others,” the U.S. president said. The NATO summit is being held in Ankara on July 7-8.