Trump Says Putin Has ‘Let Me Down’ on Ukraine Peace, Warns of Record Death Toll
President Donald Trump delivered blunt remarks Thursday about his stalled diplomatic efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin, declaring publicly for the first time that Putin has “really let me down” on resolving the war in Ukraine.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a joint press conference in London, Trump admitted that he had expected a breakthrough with Russia due to his longstanding relationship with Putin — but that the outcome has been disappointing.
“The one that I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with President Putin,” Trump said. “But he’s let me down. He’s really let me down.”
No Progress from Alaska Summit
Trump’s remarks come after months of high-stakes peace negotiations, including a private summit with Putin in Alaska. Despite hopes for a ceasefire or framework for peace, talks have failed to produce results.
“War is a different thing,” Trump said. “Things happen that are very opposite of what you thought.”
Putin, who has not agreed to meet with Trump again since Alaska, will be absent from next week’s United Nations General Assembly. Russia will instead be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Trump is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN summit, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“He’s killing many people, and he’s losing more people than he’s killing,” Trump said of Putin. “The Russian soldiers are being killed at a higher rate than the Ukrainian soldiers… it’s death.”
Trump: “It Doesn’t Affect the United States”
While reiterating his commitment to brokering peace, Trump also emphasized America’s geographic distance from the conflict.
“We have a whole ocean separating us,” Trump said to Starmer. “But I will say this — millions of people have died in that war. And they’re not American soldiers.”
“I feel I have an obligation to get it settled for that reason,” he added.
Trump has long criticized U.S. military entanglements abroad and has vowed to bring an end to what he calls “endless wars.”
Trump Approves New Weapons for Ukraine Using NATO Funds
Despite frustrations with both sides of the conflict, Trump’s administration greenlit two $500 million weapons packages for Ukraine this week through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) — a new mechanism that relies on allied contributions rather than direct U.S. taxpayer funding.
“The Department of War has facilitated this first sale of weapons in line with President Trump’s America First priorities,” a senior administration official confirmed.
The PURL system allows countries like Germany, Poland, and the UK to commit funds that Washington then uses to buy American weapons for Ukraine — a strategic workaround to avoid new congressional appropriations.
Zelenskyy confirmed this week that Ukraine expects up to $3.5 billion in new aid for advanced missile systems like Patriots and HIMARS.
“We will definitely have Patriot and HIMARS missiles,” Zelenskyy said, noting the funding would arrive by October.
Pentagon Scrambles to Rebuild Stockpiles
The renewed arms transfers come after a July halt in U.S. shipments, prompted by concerns over depleted stockpiles. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered a comprehensive review of munitions after prolonged support for Ukraine, Israel, and operations against the Houthis in the Middle East.
General Randy George, the Army’s Chief of Staff, is pushing for cost-effective innovations to match Russia’s low-cost drone and artillery warfare — warning that the U.S. cannot afford to keep firing multimillion-dollar interceptors at $50,000 drones.
“What we don’t want to do is shoot $3 million missiles at $10,000 drones,” George said. “We’ve got to get back to the cost curve.”
The Army is currently working to double its monthly output of 150mm artillery shells using automated production systems.
A Shift in Tone and Strategy
Trump’s frustration with Putin marks a significant shift in tone from the early months of his second term. While maintaining that “America First” remains his guiding doctrine, Trump appears increasingly invested in managing — and ultimately ending — the war in Ukraine, not through endless U.S. aid but by pushing allies to foot the bill and pressuring both sides diplomatically.
Whether Putin responds to Trump’s warning remains to be seen. But as the death toll climbs and the defense industry strains under global demand, the pressure is clearly rising — and Trump’s patience appears to be running thin.