Trump dismisses idea of targeting Putin, yet calls Russian President “Very Disappointed”

US President Donald Trump has said he does not believe it would be necessary to authorise a mission to capture Russian President Vladimir Putin, even as he voiced disappointment with Moscow over the ongoing conflict and Russia’s worsening economic situation.

Trump’s remarks came in response to a direct question on whether he would ever consider ordering a mission to detain Putin, similar to the recent US operation against former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Playing down the idea, Trump said such an action was unlikely to be required.

“I don’t think it’s going to be necessary,” Trump said, adding that he has “always had a great relationship” with the Russian president. However, he made it clear that his expectations had not been met. “I’m very disappointed,” Trump remarked.

Highlighting the human and economic costs faced by Russia, Trump said that Moscow had suffered heavy losses in recent weeks. “Last month, they’ve lost 31,000 people, many of them Russian soldiers, and the Russian economy is doing poorly,” he said. Trump also noted that he had expected the conflict to be easier to resolve, claiming he had previously helped settle eight wars.

The comments come in the aftermath of a dramatic US military operation in Venezuela, where American forces captured former President Nicolas Maduro and transported him to the United States to face federal drug-trafficking charges. Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Maduro sustained a leg injury during the raid, while his wife, Cilia Flores, who was detained alongside him, suffered a head injury.

Reacting to the operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared to draw a parallel with Russia, suggesting that if this is how a “dictator” is treated, the United States “knows what to do next”—a comment widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Putin.

Asked whether Zelenskyy’s remarks influenced his thinking, Trump reiterated that he did not believe a similar action against the Russian leader would be necessary.

Meanwhile, shifting geopolitical dynamics were also reflected in Washington’s approach to energy markets. A senior Trump administration official said the White House is open to allowing India to purchase Venezuelan oil under a new US-supervised framework, signalling potential flexibility in sanctions policy amid evolving global alliances.