During an event at the White House, U. S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning about the escalating tensions around Ukraine, urging all sides to stop «playing games» before the situation slips beyond control. He stressed that conflicts of this kind have the potential to spiral into a Third World War, noting that such crises may seem distant for the United States until they suddenly become unmanageable.

Trump said he believed Washington had once been close to brokering agreements with both Russia and Ukraine, but the opportunity had not been realized. He did not specify which parties he was addressing with his warning about the risk of a global confrontation.

According to the president, the United States remains focused on finding a peaceful resolution and is acting strictly as a negotiating party rather than a direct participant in the conflict. At the same time, he argued that Kyiv and European governments expect Washington to take a more active role in shaping a path toward de-escalation.

Trump previously told reporters that he had discussed the Ukrainian issue in a tough manner with the leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Germany. Media reports claimed he had pressed them to increase pressure on Vladimir Zelensky and urged the Ukrainian side to assess the situation more realistically. Those reports also stated that Zelensky maintained frequent online contact with members of the U.S. administration.