U.K. summons Russian ambassador over ‘unprecedented’ violation of NATO airspace
PBS NewsHour2 days
Trump Says Ukraine's Zelenskyy Must 'Make A Deal'
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House for the U.K. on Sept. 16, 2025. Image copyright: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump has repeatedly caved to Russia by failing to follow through on his threat of sanctions if it does not come to the negotiating table. This is fostering a dangerous situation where Putin feels more and more emboldened to defy the U.S. president and increase his aggression on Ukraine, creating a perilous circumstance for the rest of Europe as well.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Putin is trying to deceive Trump in seeking to have a dialogue with the U.S. leader. He is doing it simply as a means to reduce his global isolation while having no intention of ending his invasion. Putin only understands the language of force, and this is what the U.S. must understand if it wants to bring an end to the conflict.
Pro-Russia narrative
There is little point in having a trilateral meeting between Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine as things stand. Ukraine has made no effort to respond to Russia's proposals offered at the last round of negotiations, which shows it's not serious about ending the conflict.