Putin 'wants to end the war', says Trump

The US president, Donald Trump, said yesterday he found it "easier" to work with Russia than Ukraine and that Vladimir Putin "wants to end the war", just days after his administration cut off military assistance and intelligence to Kyiv.

- Andrew Roth Washington Luke Harding Kyiv

"I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "And they don't have the cards.

In terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia." Asked if Putin was taking advantage of the pause in US intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, Trump said: "I actually think he is doing what anybody else would do." Senior US and Ukrainian officials plan to meet in Saudi Arabia next week as Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his advisers seek to revive relations with the US after a botched summit in the Oval Office during which Trump told Zelenskyy he was "gambling with world war three".

Russia launched a drone and missile attack on Ukraine's energy facilities yesterday in the wake of the decision to halt intelligence sharing that would help target incoming fire.

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said: "We're doing very well with Russia. But right now they're bombing the hell out of Ukraine." He added: "I think he [Putin] wants to get it stopped and settled and I think he's hitting them harder than he's been hitting them and I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now." In his remarks, Trump once again said he had good relations with Putin despite the fallout from his first term when suspicions of deals between the two leaders led to political scandal.

"Despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, I've always had a good relationship with Putin," Trump said. "He wants to end the war. And I think he's gonna be more generous than he has to be."