DONALD Trump last night sided with Russia to snub a UN resolution demanding its troops leave Ukraine.
The US President’s administration joined Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Hungary and 13 others to oppose the call — with China abstaining.
Yet 93 countries voted in favour of the Ukraine-tabled resolution — which branded Russia the “aggressor” — including the UK and most European nations.
President Trump also declined to call Vladimir Putin a “dictator” despite referring to heroic Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky as such last week.
Speaking from the Oval Office, where he held talks last night with French leader Emmanuel Macron, Mr Trump said: “I think the war could end soon — within weeks, if we’re smart.
“If we’re not smart it will keep going.”
He also insisted Russia’s president had “no problem” with European peacekeepers being stationed in Ukraine as part of a peace deal.
He went on: “He will accept it.
“I have asked him [Putin] that question.
“Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for world war.”
Earlier, world leaders met in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion in a show of support amid a rift between the US and Europe.
That came as Germany’s incoming leader, Friedrich Merz, said that he wanted to see “real independence” from the States.
Merz, speaking as Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate was illuminated in the colours of Ukraine’s flag, warned that Nato could crumble by June if President Trump undermines the defence pact.
Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said Merz had signalled “the start of a new era”.
He added: “As Europeans, we need to organise . . . with the Brits and the Norwegians . . . to face the new challenges presented to us, also by Trump.”
PM Sir Keir Starmer, who joined the Kyiv conference by video-link, said Putin “doesn’t hold all the cards”.
As the UK unveiled its biggest package of sanctions on Russia since the war began, the Labour chief said: “We must keep dialling up the economic pressure to get Putin to a point where he is ready not just to talk, but to make concessions.”
Ex-Tory Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said “gangster” Putin is “not in a strong position”, adding: “His economy is a year away from a crash, he’s lost over 800,000 soldiers and his army’s equipment is decimated.”
BORIS Johnson last night led demands for Britain to increase its defence spending to three per cent of GDP to protect against Russian aggression.
The ex-PM said plans to increase spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent were not enough. Boris, speaking in Kyiv, said: “We should get to three per cent by 2030.”
It would mean an extra £20billion added to the Ministry of Defence pot.
Ex-chancellor Jeremy Hunt said cuts to adult welfare would allow Sir Keir Starmer to commit this week to a rise of more than three per cent.
He said raising spending to match the US would secure the future of Nato.