Trump Pivots Hard on Putin—Threatens Sanctions Over Ukraine in Stunning Reversal

Former allies turn foes as Trump vows immediate economic penalties against Russia. A geopolitical U-turn that’d make any hedge fund manager blush—talk about flipping your position after the market’s already moved.

Trump and Zelenskyy push for a peace deal after tense Rome meeting

The warning came just hours after Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met face-to-face in Rome, right before the funeral of Pope Francis.

It was their first meeting since a heated Oval Office clash years ago that ended in a shouting match. This time, things were calmer. The White House said the two had a “very productive discussion,” but gave no details about what was agreed.

Zelenskyy called the meeting “good” and said, “Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.” Even though he kept it vague, the meeting showed both sides were trying to move forward.

Earlier in the week, Trump had pushed a plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. His proposal reportedly included recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, something Zelenskyy has called a red line. 

Talking to TIME earlier this month, Trump said, “Crimea will stay with Russia,” adding, “Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time. It’s been with them long before Trump came along.”

After those comments, Zelenskyy quickly pushed back, saying again that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.

Despite the obvious tension, Trump posted Friday that Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal,” and said the two sides should meet “at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’” He wrote on Truth Social that “most of the major points are agreed to.”

Cryptopolitan Academy: Tired of market swings? Learn how DeFi can help you build steady passive income. Register Now