Vladimir Putin: Republican Senator Accuses Trump "Betrayed at Every Turn"

news.de gom/fka/news.de/stg • 4 hrs. • 2 mins read Frustration among Republican senators over Vladimir Putin's negotiating tactics in the Ukraine conflict is growing. Senator John Kennedy (73) from Louisiana sharply criticized the Russian president in an interview with "Fox News." Donald Trump "Betrayed at Every Turn" by Vladimir Putin: Republican Senator Accuses "He has betrayed President Trump at every turn. He has disrespected our president," Kennedy declared. The senator also claimed that Putin believes "America is afraid of him" and that the US has "taken the express train to 'Chump Town'." Kennedy described recent proposals from Moscow to resolve the conflict as "nothing." The Russian president wants to "keep all the territory he has taken," prohibit Ukraine from joining NATO, and demand that "America and Europe stop helping Ukraine," the senator said. Kennedy also criticized the "appeasement policy" of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden (82). Background: Donald Trump is currently seeking a permanent ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. Putin emphasized last weekend that he is ready to negotiate with Kyiv without preconditions. However, the Kremlin continued its attacks in Ukraine. Contradictory statements came from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. According to him, Moscow continues to insist that Ukraine abandon all occupied territories. Meanwhile, Trump expressed concerns about Putin's commitment to peace for the first time – after a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last Saturday. The two heads of state had spoken on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral in St. Peter's Basilica. The US had previously threatened to withdraw from talks with both sides of the conflict if there was no early progress toward a peaceful solution. Donald Trump should increase pressure on Putin, party colleagues demand Impatience is also growing among other Republican senators. Senator Chuck Grassley (91) of Iowa, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), called on Trump to "impose the toughest sanctions against Putin," emphasizing: "I've seen enough of the killing of innocent Ukrainian women and children." John Kennedy went even further, declaring that the situation would not improve "until we make it clear to Mr. Putin that we are prepared to turn him and his country into fish food." He was not talking about the use of "nuclear weapons," but wanted to target the Russian oil business first.