Donald Trump is ‘disappointed but not done’ with Vladimir Putin

In an interview with the BBC, Donald Trump said he trusted ‘almost nobody’ but praised NATO for lifting its defence spending.

Donald Trump says he hasn’t given up on Vladimir Putin yet. Picture: AFP.

Donald Trump has said he’s “disappointed but not done” with Vladimir Putin after threatening 100 per cent tariffs on Russia unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal with Ukraine.

In an interview with the BBC, the US President also praised NATO for lifting defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, saying his earlier criticism of the alliance was “obsolete”.

On Tuesday (AEST) Mr Trump approved new defensive weapons for Ukraine but went on to warn President Volodymyr Zelensky not to target Moscow after earlier suggesting this was an option.

Earlier this month, Mr Trump asked whether Kyiv was able to hit Moscow and St Petersburg, according to a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the exchange.

In the BBC interview, Mr Trump was asked whether he believed Mr Putin intended to end the war with Ukraine.

“I’m disappointed in him. But I’m not done with him, but I’m disappointed in him,” he said, adding that he had previously believed several times that the Russian leader had agreed to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, only to find out that Russia had just attacked Kyiv again.

Asked if he trusted Mr Putin, he replied: “I trust almost nobody, to be honest with you.”

Donald Trump is now supporting Volodymyr Zelensky against Vladimir Putin. Picture; AP.

However, he welcome NATO’s defence commitment as “amazing”.

“Nobody thought that that was possible,” Mr Trump told the BBC.

Reminded that he previously had called NATO “obsolete”, Mr Trump said: “I think NATO is now becoming the opposite of that. I do think it was past.”

The Kremlin declared that the release of new weapons for Ukraine would extend the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local media: “Such decisions made in Washington, in NATO members and in Brussels are perceived by the Ukrainian side as a signal for continuing the war, not a signal for peace.”

In his BBC interview, Mr Trump spoke warmly of his relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying: “I really like the Prime Minister, even though he’s a liberal.”

The two men have met several times, including in the Oval Office, and Sir Keir was quick to negotiate a trade framework with the US to avoid the steep tariffs Mr Trump is imposing on other countries.

Mr Trump is due to visit Britain in mid-September for an unprecedented second state visit. Asked about his goals for the trip, he said: “I want to have a good time and respect King Charles, because he’s a great gentleman.”

Mr Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, are set to visit the UK between September 17 and 19 and will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

No US president has been invited for a second state visit.

Mr Trump previously enjoyed state visit pomp and pageantry in 2019 during his first term when he was hosted by Charles’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

AP