Blumenthal says Putin spent summit 'delaying' Trump peace negotiations, reups call for sanctions

Source: Yahoo! News/The Hill

Sat, August 16, 2025 at 11:40 AM EDT


Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he thinks President Trump was manipulated at the Friday Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Putin doesn’t want a deal. He doesn’t want peace. And the only way to convince him to stop this diplomatic rope-a-dope, playing the President, delaying any kind of ceasefire, is through strength,” Blumenthal said during a Friday appearance on CNN’s “AC360.”

“Providing [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and Ukraine the kind of military arms they need, the interceptors for their patriot systems and more of them, the missiles they need, the long-range artillery, and scorching sanctions in the Graham-Blumenthal bill now on the floor,” he added, referencing his sanctions bill with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
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Trump said Friday’s bilateral meeting was “productive” but said before any agreement is determined, peace points must be sorted out. Zelensky is also slated to visit the White House on Monday. Still, both Russia and Ukraine have pressed ahead with fatal strikes.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/blumenthal-says-putin-spent-summit-154058784.html