Republicans also criticize Trump's Ukraine course

US President Trump is moving closer to Russia and expressly praises Kremlin boss Putin. There is also increasing criticism of this in Trump's own party, which has long been loyal to him. Some MPs voted

Republicans criticize Ukraine course "Putin hates us, but the president doesn't see it" As of: October 22, 2026 • 7:03 a.m

Two gifts from the Kremlin for Donald Trump - they should be welcome by the election campaigning president: On the one hand, Moscow declared its "fundamental" willingness to negotiate in a three-way format with Russia, the USA and Ukraine. On the other hand, the Kremlin released the US citizen Stephen Hubbard.

In Saint Petersburg, Trump's negotiator Steve Witkoff thanked the Kremlin boss who was sitting across from him. Witkoff said, referring to Hubbard and addressed to Putin: "This is a 74-year-old man. You have often called President Trump a humanitarian. You too are a humanitarian. And I pay you my respect for that. I commend you and thank you again."

After a meeting with the US special envoy, Russia's president apparently agreed to talks with the USA and Ukraine. more

Putin a humanitarian? This assessment fits with the US government's new course, which is now openly pro-Russia. Trump has abandoned any semblance of impartiality.

For days he has been posting tirades against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj on Truth Social. Criticism of Putin? None. On the contrary. Earlier in the week, Trump - his helicopter noisy in the background - said Russia had behaved "well" with regard to Ukraine and had done "not much."

US President Trump is toughening his tone against Zelensky. The Ukrainian president also blames the USA. more

Trump's party colleague, Representative Don Bacon, reacted to this statement on CNN and said that it was absolutely scandalous. "Our president is morally blind about this war. He has allied himself with a dictator and a war criminal," said Bacon. "And he is taking tough action against a democracy that wants to be part of the West and would like to belong to the EU and NATO. Putin, on the other hand, hates us, but the president doesn't see that."

Trump is appeasing the Kremlin boss and has become a Neville Chamberlain - the one who pursued the policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler. Bacon literally told National Review magazine: “Trump is kissing Putin’s ass.”

Twelve senators - six from each side - sent a letter of protest to the White House against the diesel deal. This agreement is a “betrayal of the Ukrainian people.” Co-signatory Thom Tillis from the Republicans called Trump's recent steps regarding Ukraine "more than irresponsible" and said the president had capitulated to Putin.

If this is true, it raises some questions - including for US President Trump. more

A report in the Wall Street Journal is causing new waves of outrage. Accordingly, it was actually Elon Musk who throttled his company's satellite internet for Ukraine - after discussions with the White House. At least one unnamed source told the newspaper that Trump knew about it before the throttling.

Alex Plitsas of the Atlantic Council, a think tank, assesses it this way: "If this is indeed true and Musk did it, it is absolutely despicable and raises the question: Can a nation state trust such a service in the future when a private sector CEO has the ability to effectively paralyze things and thereby interfere in international affairs?" This is “completely inappropriate, if true,” says Plitsas.

Trump's Ukraine course could cost the Republicans votes in the midterm elections. Traditional conservatives don't appreciate cozying up to autocrats. And Moscow's promise to be ready for three-way negotiations again - "in principle" - is too meager to be considered a resounding success for Trump's diplomatic efforts.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | Much scolding for Trump's Ukraine course | Oct 21, 2026 | 00:51 The First | daily news | Oct 21, 2026 | 8:00 p.m