Trump says Putin has ‘really let me down’ over Ukraine war, Starmer urges him to put 'extra pressure' on Moscow

US President Donald Trump (L) gestures as he speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) following their meeting at Chequers, in Aylesbury, central England, on September 18, 2025, on the second day of the US President's second State Visit. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "really let me down" by continuing the war in Ukraine despite the US leader's efforts to stop the fighting.

Trump told a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that he had thought the Ukraine conflict would be the "easiest" to end "because of my relationship with President Putin, but he's let me down. He's really let me down".

Meanwhile, Starmer urged Trump to put "extra pressure" on the Russian president to end the war in Ukraine.

"We have to put extra pressure on Putin, and it's only when the president has put pressure on Putin that he's actually shown any inclination to move. So we have to ramp that pressure up," he said at the press conference.

Starmer has positioned himself as a bridge between Trump and European allies, particularly on the war in Ukraine, in a bid to secure more commitments for Kyiv from the US leader.

Trump’s latest remarks follow comments earlier this week in which he said his patience with Putin was “running out fast,” though he did not announce new sanctions. The US president said he had maintained a “good relationship” with the Russian leader but was disappointed by his failure to end the conflict.

“We’re going to have to come down very, very strong,” Trump warned, pointing to sanctions on Russian banks and oil as possible next steps.

Trump’s remarks came as Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, said Moscow’s forces were “advancing in practically all directions” in Ukraine. Visiting the frontlines, he said the heaviest fighting was around Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk, where Ukraine had sent its “best-trained units.” Gerasimov argued this was helping Russian troops make gains in other areas.