The Trump administration has “badly underestimated” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s determination to finish the war against Ukraine and NATO allies, and the only way to convince him to agree to a ceasefire is to arm the Ukrainians so they can stop him, retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark, the former NATO supreme allied commander, told Newsmax. 

“I don’t think there’s any progress toward a ceasefire,” Clark told Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren” Friday, commenting after President Donald Trump earlier in the day ordered the positioning of two nuclear submarines after what he referred to as “provocative statements” from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

“If you really wanted to stop what’s going on, you would airlift a bunch of weapons and ammunition into Ukraine — or at least as close to Ukraine as you could get it — so the Ukrainians can stop the Russian attack cold on the ground,” he added. “That’s the way to persuade Mr. Putin that he needs a ceasefire.”

Read more at Newsmax© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.