Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump warns Putin’s revenge for drone attack ‘not going to be pretty’ – UK Times

Donald Trump was reportedly left marveling at the ingenuity of Kyiv’s Operation Spider Web, which damaged more than Russian 40 war planes.

According to Axios, Trump has privately described it as “strong” and “badass.”

One of the US President’s advisers likened the audacious move to “a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog.”

Andrew Feinberg has a full-write up of that story below.

Donald Trump has hinted he might consider imposing sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine if the war goes on.

Before meeting German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he believed that “at some point” there would be peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Asked whether he would impose further sanctions on Russia, the president responded: “When I see the moment where it’s not going to stop … we’ll be very, very, very tough.

“And it could be on both countries to be honest. You know, it takes two to tango.”

Repeated rounds of gunfire apparently aimed at drones reportedly attacking the training centre at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine have been heard.

Teams from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported hearing the weapons go off, the head of the UN’s nuclear safety watchdog said.

The IAEA team on site reported hearing at least five explosions between 11.30am and 1.45pm local time, each preceded by gunfire, his statement said, adding that there were no immediate reports of any damage to the centre.

The joint press conference between German Chancellor Freidrich Merz and President Donald Trump has now wrapped up.

Mr Merz avoided the same ambush that befell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit earlier this year, when he was told by Vice President JD Vance to “be grateful” in an extraordinary exchange in the Oval Office.

Here is a quick recap of Mr Merz’s and Mr Trump’s comments on Ukraine:

– Mr Trump said that it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia “fight for a while” before pulling them apart and pursuing peace.

– Mr Trump said the Russian response to Operation Spider Web will “not be pretty”.

– Mr Trump has said that he is “sad” about the war in Ukraine but that he was hopeful he could “stop the bloodshed”

– Mr Merz said he agreed with Mr Trump on the war and praised him as a “key person” who could stop the conflict

German Chancellor Freidrich Merz said that Donald Trump is a “key person” who can bring the war in Ukraine to end.

“I told the president before we came in that he is the key person in the world who can really do that now by putting pressure on Russia,” he said.

German Chancellor Freidrich Merz stressed that Donald Trump agreed with him on the war in Ukraine when asked for his response to the US president’s comments.

He pointed to Mr Trump as the “key person in the world” who would be able to stop the bloodshed.

But Mr Merz also emphasised that Germany “was on the side of Ukraine” and that Kyiv was only attacking military targets, not Russian civilians.

“We are trying to get them stronger,” Mr Merz said of Ukraine.

President Trump said that it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia “fight for a while” before pulling them apart and pursuing peace.

“Sometimes you’re better off letting them a fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” Mr Trump said at a press conference alongside German chancellor Freidrich Merz.

He added that he had relayed that analogy to Russian president Vladimir Putin in their phone conversation on Wednesday.