Russia-Ukraine war: Donald Trump says 'I am on nobody's side'; distances himself from Putin

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said he wants to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, declaring that he is "on the side of humanity," calling for an immediate halt to the ongoing "killing of thousands of people.""I am on nobody's side... you know what side I am on? Humanity side. I want to stop killing of thousands of people," Trump told reporters."I want the killing to stop in the Ukraine-Russia war. That's the side I am on," he added.The remarks mark a striking departure from Trump’s long-standing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.Since entering politics nearly a decade ago, Trump has often praised Putin as a "strong leader" and highlighted the Russian leader’s flattering comments about him. However, with the war in Ukraine grinding on. Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine war within a day of returning to the White House, said he was "disappointed" in Putin.He keeps attacking Ukraine like our phone calls "didn’t mean anything," Trump had earlier said.During a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump recounted how First Lady Melania Trump had questioned his optimistic take on Putin after one such call. "I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ She said, ‘Oh, really? Another city was just hit," Trump was quoted saying to reporters on Monday (local time)."I don't want to say he's an assassin, but he's a tough guy. It's been proven over the years. He's fooled a lot of people," Trump added. He indicated that this reality check from his wife helped push him toward a tougher stance.The US president announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, committing "billions of dollars" in weapons through European allies. He also warned Russia of severe economic consequences if there's no ceasefire agreement within 50 days.He also added that his administration would also consider secondary tariffs as leverage. "We’re going to be doing secondary tariffs. If we don’t have a deal in 50 days, it’s very simple. And they’ll be at 100 percent, and that’s the way it is," the MAGA chief said."I use trade for a lot of things. But it’s great for settling wars," Trump further added.His special envoy met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv as part of continued diplomatic efforts on Monday.Trump has previously clashed with Zelenskyy, once criticising him publicly at the White House for being “ungrateful” despite billions in US military aid under the Biden administration.The president's recent remarks suggest a break from his earlier, more friendly stance toward Putin, hinting at a possible change in his administration’s approach to the Ukraine war, now entering its fourth year.Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said he felt personally let down by Putin, whom he had long considered trustworthy. "I am very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was somebody that meant what he said. And he'll talk so beautifully and then he'll bomb people at night. We don't like that."Trump’s comments came after months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy aimed at brokering peace.According to Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, the US president had spent six months trying to bring Putin to the negotiating table, with little result. "For six months, President Trump tried to entice Putin to the table. The attacks have gone up, not down," Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally told CBS News show "Face The Nation.""One of the biggest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump," Graham added.For Trump, who views himself as a master negotiator, Putin’s refusal to back down has been a serious blow. Despite past warnings from US intelligence officials, Trump had often placed trust in Putin. One of the most controversial examples was in 2018, when Trump appeared to side with Putin over American intelligence agencies during a joint press conference in Helsinki, after the Russian leader denied interfering in the 2016 US election.Putin, who has served as Moscow's leader longer than anyone since Stalin, was unlikely to seek compromise on Ukraine or cooperation with Western nations. He views the Soviet Union's collapse as a historical tragedy and contests Ukraine's distinct historical identity.Mark Montgomery, a retired US rear admiral and Senate policy adviser, said Putin had misjudged Trump, believing in what some call "TACO" — Trump Always Chickens Out."I don't think this stops until Putin feels either weapons system pain or economic pain that he cannot sustain," he added.