Trump’s fire fades on Russia as he pulls troops, avoids pressing Xi on oil

By Fox News · Fox News

President Donald Trump ’s tone on Ukraine has softened dramatically in recent weeks, from tough talk aimed to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin last month to a more hands-off approach. After signaling strong support for Ukraine and pledging to bring an end to Russia’s invasion, Trump now appears far less committed to aiding Kyiv or forcing a resolution to the war. The reversal began quietly two weeks ago when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington. Many had expected Trump to approve Tomahawk long-range missiles for Ukraine — but he didn’t. The president said it would take too long to train on the missile system and that the U.S. needed them for its own stockpile. He vociferously denied a Wall Street Journal report suggesting the U.S. had lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to fire into Russia. ZELENSKYY URGES DIRECT TALKS WITH PUTIN AS TRUMP SETS PEACE DEADLINE Then came Thursday’s announcement from the Department of War that a rotational U.S. Army brigade stationed in Romania, with forces also in Hungary and Bulgaria, would be coming home. Trump dismissed the pullback as "not very significant, not a big deal," though European allies saw it differently. "This will be an invitation for Russia to increase their attacks on Ukraine, increase its influence in the region," one European official told Fox News Digital. The softer posture extended to Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. Despite previously pressing India to curb its purchases of Russian oil, Trump made no such demand of Xi. "We really didn’t discuss the oil," he told reporters afterward. Ending the war did come up, but in a noticeably less urgent tone. "We’re both going to work together to see if we can get something done," Trump said. "We agree that the sides are locked in, fighting, and sometimes you have to let them fight, I guess. Crazy. But he’s going to help us and we’re going to work together on Ukraine." COULD TRUMP’S GAZA…