Trump Strikes New Tone After Zelenskyy Meeting in Rome

After a fifteen-minute meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, April 26, 2025, which the White House called a “very productive meeting,”. President Trump spoke briefly with the leaders of France, President Macron, and Great Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, flanking President Zelenskyy in obvious solidarity.

After receiving a counter-proposal peace framework from President Zelensky and on his return to New Jersey from Rome, President Trump wrote something different and unusual on his Truth Social account.

He wrote, “With all that being said, there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns, over the past few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions”? Too many people are dying!!!”

Perhaps, the President is finally realizing that the time for carrots in his approach to Russia has not been productive, and it’s time to bring out the big sticks.

The American Ukraine PAC would welcome a change in approach from the White House to pursue big sticks, secondary sanctions, and sending more weapons to Ukraine, on Russia to pressure them to make war concessions, and to stop bombing civilians.