President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is beginning to question whether Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a warning shot to the Russian leader that came just after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome.

ROME — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he doubts Russia's Vladimir Putin wants to end his war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon. Only a day earlier, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were “very close to a deal."

After claiming to have ended Ukraine's incursion into Kursk — with North Korean help — Russia says it is ready to hold peace talks with Kyiv. But President Trump has cast doubt on Putin's remarks and theatened sanctions.