President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he may let Russia and Ukraine keep fighting has left US lawmakers in an awkward spot over their plan to force a ceasefire with “bone-crushing” sanctions against Moscow.

As the Russian president slow-walks peace talks, GOP leaders hope to pressure their own president into taking a tougher stance.

President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a "good" 75-minute phone conversation Wednesday, "but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace." Putin said, "very strongly,

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday that Moscow was obligated to respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack, Trump said, setting up a potential escalation in the conflict just as the US president hopes to broker an end to the war.

Trump said his latest call with Putin wouldn't lead to "immediate peace" as he relayed the Russian leader's plans to retaliate against Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he's spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the Russian leader told him “very strongly” that he will respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack on Russian airfields.