U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wanted to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to secure an end to the almost three-year-old war with Ukraine, lamenting what he called the huge loss of life.

Putin has said repeatedly that he is prepared to negotiate an end to the war, which first began in 2014, but that Ukraine would have to accept the reality of Russian territorial gains, which are currently about 20% of its land. He also refuses to accept Ukraine joining Nato, the military alliance of Western countries.

P resident Donald Trump’s new post on Truth Social threatening new economic sanctions on Russia shows that Putin has finally met his match. It now looks as if Donald Trump may not be bullied by Putin’s empty holster of threats, bluster, and bluffs.