Asked about Russia’s recent deadly drone attack on Kyiv, Trump immediately launched into criticizing Russia’s war on Ukraine, calling it a “disgrace,” and pointing out how many Russians have died as a result of Putin’s continued violence.
“I think it’s disgusting. Russia? I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting. This is Biden’s war. It’s not my war. But I said if I get in, I’ll try and get the thing stopped. But I think what Russia is doing is very sad. A lot of Russians are dying,” Trump said.
“But I will tell you this, it should be stopped. It’s a — it’s a disgrace,” Trump added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony of exchange of documents following his meeting with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, July 31, 2025.
Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool via AP
While Trump said he was going to follow through on his promise of slapping sanctions on Russia if it didn’t broker a ceasefire in Ukraine by the deadline coming in eight days; however, he was unsure that those actions would have an impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Yeah, we’re going to put sanctions. I don’t know that sanctions bother him. You know, they — they know about sanctions. I know better than anybody about sanctions and tariffs and everything else,” Trump said.
“I don’t know if that has any effect, but we’re going to do it. Europe is extremely upset, but this is a war that should have never happened,” Trump added.
Trump also said that special envoy Steve Witkoff is going to visit Russia. Witkoff is visiting Gaza on Friday, the White House said, and Trump said that after that “he’s going to Russia, believe it or not.”
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibsaa and Michelle Stoddart
