US President Donald Trump has misjudged his influence on Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was stated by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, quoted by Reuters, reports BTA.
Pistorius's comment comes after a phone call between Trump and Putin that did not lead to progress in peace talks on Ukraine. In response, the European Union announced the preparation of a new package of sanctions against Russia.
“I suspect that he (Trump) has misjudged his position in the negotiations“, Pistorius told Deutschlandfunk radio, referring to the US president's attempt to persuade Putin to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire - a proposal that was later abandoned by Trump himself.
The European Union is currently preparing its next package of economic and political sanctions against Moscow over the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to Pistorius, it remains unclear whether Washington will join the new measures, as diplomatic talks on the subject continue.