Trump Warns Putin Amidst Stalled Peace Talks and Factory Attack

Former President Donald Trump has issued a new warning to Vladimir Putin as negotiations for a peace deal in Ukraine continue to stall. This follows a Russian missile strike on a US-owned factory in Ukraine, which resulted in injuries to at least fifteen workers. Russian state television quickly responded to the attack, characterizing the bombing of the Flex electronics factory as the "destruction of Western investments."

The former president has been leading a new diplomatic effort to secure a peace agreement in Ukraine. The Trump administration believed that progress had been made in ending the conflict after a summit held in Alaska. However, the Kremlin has since introduced new, stringent demands, seemingly aimed at disrupting the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed the possibility of an immediate meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also insisted that the Kremlin must have a veto over any post-war security guarantees for Kyiv.

The Kremlin's delays in the peace talks have led to growing frustration from Trump, prompting him to issue a stern warning to Putin. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he stated that he would make a significant decision regarding the situation. Trump indicated that this decision would involve imposing "massive sanctions or massive tariffs, or both" on Russia. He also suggested the possibility of the US withdrawing from the situation, allowing the conflict to continue.

The missile attack on the Flex electronics factory in Mukachevo, near the borders of Hungary and Slovakia, occurred on Thursday. The factory, which produced consumer goods, was occupied by approximately 600 workers at the time of the strike. The attack drew a strong reaction from the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, who condemned the attack as an assault on American business and called on President Trump to take action against Putin's actions.