Trump criticises Russia’s new missile test, says Putin should prioritise ending Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump has publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to prioritise ending the war in Ukraine instead of conducting new strategic weapons tests, as per reports. 

Speaking to reporters during his Asia tour, Trump reportedly described Russia’s recent test of the nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile as not appropriate.

Trump added that Putin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine, noting that a conflict which should have lasted only a week was now approaching its fourth year.

The remarks came a day after Moscow confirmed the test of the Burevestnik, heightening global tensions and renewing scrutiny of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said new US sanctions on Russian energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil have further complicated efforts to rebuild ties between Washington and Moscow. He added that both sides have tasked their foreign ministers Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio with preparing groundwork for a potential Trump Putin summit.

Peskov noted that Putin appreciates Trump’s stated desire to resolve the Ukraine conflict but cautioned that it “cannot be resolved overnight.”

Trump recently cancelled a planned summit with Putin in Budapest, saying it didn’t feel right, but indicated he would reconsider once there is a tangible path to peace in Ukraine.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)