US President Donald Trump on Monday said that his wife and first lady, Melania, played a key role in pushing him to take a harder stance against Vladimir Putin over the Russia-Ukraine war.During a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump said Melania had questioned his optimistic view after his phone calls with Putin, who often promised peace talks.“I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ She said, ‘Oh, really? Another city was just hit,” Trump was quoted as saying to reporters. He added that her reaction contributed to his decision to ramp up military support for Ukraine and put pressure on Moscow, reports the New York Post.“We thought we had a deal numerous times,” Trump was quoted as saying to the Daily Beast. “I get home, I’d say, ‘First Lady, I had the most wonderful talk with Vladimir. I think we’re finished.’ And then I’d turn on the television or she’ll say to me one time, ‘Well that’s strange because they just bombed a nursing home.’”Trump announced that he would commit “billions of dollars” in weapons to Ukraine and warned that his administration would impose harsh tariffs on Russia if there was no ceasefire agreement within 50 days. “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” Trump said, adding, “I use trade for a lot of things. But it’s great for settling wars.”The MAGA chief also said, “We’re going to be doing secondary tariffs. If we don’t have a deal in 50 days, it’s very simple. And they’ll be at 100 percent, and that’s the way it is.”Trump’s recent announcement signals a possible change in the administration’s approach to the conflict, which has lasted over three years. His special envoy to Ukraine and Russia met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts.Melania Trump had not previously spoken publicly about the war. However, her native country, Slovenia, has distanced itself from Russia since the 2022 invasion. A month into the war, a Russian airstrike destroyed Slovenia’s consulate in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.Trump’s comments about Melania’s involvement were welcomed by pro-Ukraine voices online, who hailed her as a quiet but influential ally against Russian aggression. The first lady was recently seen attending the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with the president.
