January 19, 2026

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The White House spokeswoman collapsed with a harsh criticism on the Financial Times (video)


“Trump is trying to stop the war, and not continue it,” said the press secretary of the White House Caroline Levitt.

By responding to reports that Donald Trump is encouraging a further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, the White House answered with sharp statements, rejecting the accusations and accusing the Financial Times of distorting his statements.

The White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt, in a statement for Newsweek, said that Financial Times deliberately distorted the words of the former president:

“The newspaper is sadly known that it completely pulls out phrases out of context in order to gain more views, because it falls apart.”

She emphasized: “He asked, not inciting.” Levitt explained that Trump “just asked a question” and did not call for “further bloodshed”. She added that the US president “works without lingering hands to stop bloodshed and put an end to this war.”

The intervention of the White House followed the reaction to the recent statements of Trump, which, according to some international media, were interpreted as encouraging Russian aggression. The current position of Levitt is aimed at restoring the image of the former president as a factor in stability and peace, the main goal of which is an immediate termination of the conflict, Writes Cretapost.gr.

The cornerstone of the scandal was the publication of the Financial Times, about which we They told yesterday. The American president, unexpectedly departing from his position on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, allegedly asked his Ukrainian colleague if he could strike in Moscow if the United States provided him with the corresponding long-range weapons.

According to the publication, the conversation of the two presidents took place during a telephone conversation on July 4. The conversation took place after Trump called the “bad” telephone conversation with Putin the day earlier.

Two sources, familiar with the content of Trump and Zelensky, said that the US president asked his Ukrainian colleague if he could strike at military targets in Russia if he would provide him with weapons that could do this:

“Vladimir, can you hit Moscow? .. Can you hit St. Petersburg?” Trump allegedly asked during a conversation, to which the president of Ukraine replied: “Of course. We can, if you give us weapons. ”

According to two people aware of a telephone conversation, Trump expressed his support for this idea, describing the strategy, as aimed at “making the Russians to feel pain” and force the Kremlin to sit down at the negotiating table.

Vladimir Putin intends to continue military operations in Ukraine until the West does not agree to its conditions of peace, despite Donald Trump's threats to tighten sanctions, and his territorial claims can expand as Russian troops move, three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters. Moreover, as the sources reported, Putin believes that the Russian economy and army are strong enough to withstand any additional measures of the West.

On Monday, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin’s refusal to agree to the ceasefire and announced the beginning of the supply of weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems. He also threatened Russia with new sanctions if a peace agreement is not reached within 50 days.

Three Russian sources familiar with the intentions of the Higher leadership of the Kremlin said that Putin would not stop the war under pressure from the West and believes that Russia, which survived the most stringent sanctions imposed by the West, is able to withstand further economic difficulties, including the threat of introducing US duties against buyers of Russian oil. In a conversation with Reuters, one of the sources said:

“Putin believes that no one seriously discussed with him the details of the peaceful settlement in Ukraine, including the Americans, so he will continue until he achieved the desired.”

According to the source, despite the few phone calls of Trump and Putin, and the visits to Russia of the US special representative Steve Witkoff, the Russian leader believes that there were no detailed discussions based on a peaceful plan. “Putin appreciates relations with Trump and held good negotiations with WhitkoffBut Russia's interests are above all, ”the source added.

However, Trump in an interview with reporters noted: “The final term in the Russian Federation can come earlier than 50 days later.”



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