Vladimir Putin allegedly made a rude comment to an American reporter before meeting with Donald Trump to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
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On Friday (15), the two leaders met in a historic encounter to advance peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. During the press conference, Putin was questioned by journalists eager to know whether he would put an end to the conflict.
“Mr. Putin, will you agree to a ceasefire?” asked a reporter. “Will you commit to no longer killing civilians? President Putin, why should President Trump trust your word now?” she continued.
Footage from Sky News shows Putin cupping his hand around his mouth and projecting his voice toward the crowd.
Lip reader Nicola Hickling told The Sun that the Russian president allegedly told the reporter he was “ignorant.”
However, Sky News correspondent Martha Kelner stated that he said “come on, come on” to encourage the press to leave.
After the leaders’ conversation, it was suggested that significant progress had been made in efforts to bring peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was informed of the conversation details by phone and is expected to visit the White House on Monday (18).
“The main point is that this meeting should open a real path toward a just peace and a substantial discussion between leaders in a trilateral format: Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side,” Zelenskyy wrote on his X profile.
“It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible,” he continued.
Photos: X @WhiteHouse. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Historic. pic.twitter.com/ZpierS5Rec
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 15, 2025
