Washington, DC [US], April 27 (ANI): US President Donald Trump has questioned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin’s willingness to stop the war and criticised recent missile strikes in Ukraine, CNN reported.

Trump said after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Vatican on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral, on Saturday.

It was the first meeting between the two leaders since their meeting in the White House, when Zelenskyy faced criticism from Trump and Vice President JD Vance over what they saw as a lack of gratitude for American support.

In a post shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he was heading back to the US from Rome, Trump hinted at imposing sanctions against Moscow after Russia’s latest missile attack on Ukraine and questioned whether Putin wants to stop the war.

Donald Trump even criticised former US President Barack Obama and suggested that he “made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired.”

In a post shared on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump shared, “No matter what deal I make with respect to Russia/Ukraine, no matter how good it is, even if it’s the greatest deal ever made, The Failing New York Times will speak BADLY of it. Liddle’ Peter Baker, the very biased and untalented writer for The Times, followed his Editor’s demands and wrote that Ukraine should get back territory, including, I suppose, Crimea, and other ridiculous requests, in order to stop the killing that is worse than anything since World War II. Why doesn’t this lightweight reporter say that it was Obama who made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired. It was also Liddle’ Peter who wrote an absolutely fawning, yet terribly written Biography, on Obama. It was a JOKE! Did Baker ever criticize the Obama Crimea Giveaway? NO, not once, only TRUMP, and I’ve had nothing to do with this stupid war, other than early on, when I gave Ukraine Javelins, and Obama gave them sheets.”

“This is Sleepy Joe Biden’s War, not mine. It was a loser from day one, and should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened if I were President at the time. I’m just trying to clean up the mess that was left to me by Obama and Biden, and what a mess it is. With all of that being said, there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions?” Too many people are dying,” he added.

Trump and Zelenskyy spoke ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis. Describing his meeting with Trump as “good,” Zelenskyy said that talks focused on “full and unconditional ceasefire.” He expressed hope to see results on everything they discussed.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, “Good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you POTUS.”

Trump and Zelenskyy had a “very productive” meeting in Rome, a White House official said – their first meeting since a tense meeting in the White House in February this year, Al Jazeera stated.

On Saturday, White House communications director Steven Cheung said, “President Trump and President Zelenskyy met privately today and had a very productive discussion. More details about the meeting will follow,” Al Jazeera reported.

In a post on X, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha stated, “No words are needed to describe the importance of this historic meeting. Two leaders working for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica.”

Former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Friday met with the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja, fueling speculation about Kwankwaso’s possible return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The two political heavyweights were seen together after Jumaat prayers at a mosque in the nation’s capital.

El-Rufai was accompanied by his eldest son, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, during the meeting, according to a report by The Nation.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of growing rumours that Kwankwaso has struck a deal with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that could see him, along with his political followers, rejoin the APC.

Observers believe that Kwankwaso’s return could significantly boost Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in the 2027 general elections.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State says he is optimistic that more politicians from the opposition parties will defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 elections.

He made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Saturday after a meeting with political stakeholders from Delta.

Ekwutosblog recalls that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other party bigwigs in Delta had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the APC.

Reacting, Uzodinma said, “You can see the tide is moving and people are joining and there will be no end to it. You must have heard that our party in Delta is growing from strength to strength.

“The high point of the state of the party is that Delta is now almost a one-party state.”

The governor, who chairs the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), said that with the development in Delta, the APC would use its internal mechanism to integrate old and new members.

“We have to meet to be able to manage this very huge success, to ensure that using the mechanism, the internal mechanism of our great party, that we will receive our new members, our new leaders.

“We will then come together as a family to grow the party and support the government in Delta for the benefit of our people and members of our great party.

“So, I think we are happy with the development and a big testimony to the fact that the APC government in Nigeria is being admired by many, if not all and sundry,” he said.