President Donald Trump on Saturday morning criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to hit Ukraine, and suggested Putin needs to be “dealt with differently” moving forward.

The same morning, minutes before Pope Francis’ funeral, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in St. Peter’s Basilica. Both sides signaled that the meeting was “good” and “productive.”

“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along.”

Trump added that Putin might have “to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”

Notably, 50 senators — 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans — introduced a bill earlier this month that would impose additional sanctions on Russia.

Truth Social: Screenshot

Trump’s post also said the idea that Ukraine would get back Crimea is “ridiculous,” and slammed former President Barack Obama for allowing Russia to take the territory. Zelensky has said that he won’t recognize Russia’s control of Crimea.

“[The New York Times’ Peter Baker] wrote that Ukraine should get back territory, including, I suppose, Crimea, and other ridiculous requests, in order to stop the killing that is worse than anything since World War II,” Trump wrote. “Why doesn’t this lightweight reporter say that it was Obama who made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired.”

In a Time magazine article published on Friday, Trump said he would facilitate a deal between Russia and Ukraine, but noted that Putin would have liked to “take the whole thing,” referring to Ukrainian territory.

“Yeah, I think Putin will [make peace],” Trump said. “I think Putin would rather do it a different way. I think he’d rather go and take the whole thing. And I think that because of me, I believe I’m the only one that can get this thing negotiated. And I think we’re a long way. We’ve had very good talks, and we’re getting very close to a deal. And I don’t believe anybody else could have made that deal.”

On Friday, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to speak with Putin and other top Russian officials and push for a peace deal.

Putin advisers Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev said the meeting was “constructive and useful,” and brought the United States and Russia “closer together” on Ukraine and other issues, according to Axios. Additionally, Witkoff and Putin discussed the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Related: Trump Meets With Zelensky At Vatican Ahead Of Pope’s Funeral: ‘Very Productive’

The Trump administration announced this week an opportunity for American artists to create sculptures of historical figures like George Washington, Patrick Henry, Davy Crockett, and other American heroes in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.

The National Endowment for the Humanities announced on Thursday that it would be handing out grants for artists to sculpt one of the 250 American historical figures identified by the Trump administration for placement in a new National Garden of American Heroes.

“The garden will provide the public with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how the lives and accomplishments of these individuals have shaped our history and culture,”Acting National Endowment for Humanities Chairman Michael McDonald said.

Artists, who must be American citizens, can be awarded up to three grants each of $200,000 for a total of $600,000. The statues will be life-size and made with marble, granite, bronze, copper, or brass.

The National Endowment for the Humanities will be partnering with the National Endowment for the Arts to spend $34 million on the project.

“The National Garden will feature Americans who deserve honor, recognition, and lasting tribute because of the battles they won, the ideas they championed, the diseases they cured, the lives they saved, the heights they achieved, and the hope they passed down,” the notice of funding says.

The notice also says that the garden will be a spot for visitors to learn about American history.

“It will also be a place where Americans can gather to learn about and celebrate America and the icons who made America what it is today. Visitors to the park will learn the stories of some of the greatest Americans,” the notice says.

A specific location for the garden has not yet been determined. Trump first proposed the plan in 2020, but it was later cancelled by former President Joe Biden.

The list of figures to be honored includes a wide variety of people, such as President John Adams, Civil War nurse Clara Barton, inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright, World War II General Douglas MacArthur, astronaut Neil Armstrong, Civil War soldier Joshua Chamberlain, Pilgrim leader William Bradford, country music artist Johnny Cash, anti-slavery activist Frederick Douglas, founding firebrand Patrick Henry, World War I hero Alvin York, and many others.