Politico: Trump Believes Russian Victory in Ukraine Is Inevitable

By Staff, Agencies

President Donald Trump reportedly believes that Russia will ultimately prevail in its war against Ukraine, according to Politico, which cited a senior White House official.

The report comes amid escalating rhetoric from Trump, who has threatened to impose sweeping secondary US tariffs—up to 100%—on countries that continue trading with Russia if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days.

Despite authorizing a new round of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, the funding for these arms is expected to come from European NATO members rather than the US itself. Moscow has responded by warning that Trump’s statements may be interpreted by Kiev as encouragement to prolong the conflict.

According to the senior official quoted by Politico, Trump decided to increase pressure on Russia out of frustration with Moscow’s continued bombardments of Ukrainian territory. The official noted that Trump sees Russian victory as inevitable, citing Moscow’s larger economy and superior military capabilities.

“The president’s view is Russia is going to win; it’s a matter of how long it takes,” the source told Politico, referencing Russia’s ongoing battlefield advances.

In recent months, Russian forces have made steady territorial gains, including the full capture of the Lugansk People’s Republic and the expulsion of Ukrainian forces from Russia’s Kursk Region, which they had entered last year.

Moscow flatly rejected Trump’s latest ultimatum, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov calling the pressure tactics “unacceptable” and urging the US and NATO to respect Russia’s legitimate security concerns.

While Russia has stated its willingness to engage in diplomatic talks based on mutual respect, Russian officials continue to criticize Kiev and the West for what they see as a lack of genuine interest in a peaceful resolution. The Kremlin maintains that its objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged and that, although it prefers a negotiated settlement, it will continue military operations as necessary to achieve its goals.