Trump Claims Putin Flattered Him, Blames Biden for Ukraine Conflict
In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump made some bold claims regarding his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Let's dive into what he had to say.
Trump Highlights Putin's "Respect"
President Trump stated that at least Vladimir Putin "respects our country now," a sentiment he shared after failing to broker a ceasefire deal to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During a conversation with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, Trump touted his dealmaking abilities, suggesting he could quickly assess the success of his meeting with Putin.
Following reports that the meeting yielded no concrete results, Trump appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity to do some damage control, attributing the lack of progress to President Joe Biden. He maintained that he's "always had a great relationship with President Putin" and that they “would have done great things together” were it not for the "Russia Russia Russia hoax.” This narrative has been a recurring theme for Trump when discussing his relationship with Russia and the subsequent investigations.
Blaming Biden and Praising Putin
Trump asserted that Putin told him the 2022 invasion of Ukraine wouldn't have occurred if he were still president. “I was very happy to hear him say if I was [sic] president that war would have never happened,” Trump claimed. When pressed for specifics by Hannity, Trump vaguely stated, “It doesn’t matter at this point. This war should have never happened.”
He continued to suggest the conflict wouldn't have transpired under his leadership but declined to provide concrete reasons. Trump rated the meeting with Putin a "10," emphasizing the positive rapport between the two leaders and the importance of strong relations between nuclear powers.
Trump's Take on Sanctions and Ukraine's Role
When Hannity alluded to the role of sanctions in bringing Putin to the negotiating table, Trump instead focused on flattering the Russian president. “I don’t want to say anything brought him to the table,” Trump stated. “He’s a very smart guy. Nothing brought him to the table, so to speak.”
“He respects our country now,” Trump added, contrasting this with his perception of Putin's view of the U.S. under the Biden administration. He concluded by shifting responsibility to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting the onus is now on him to finalize a deal. "Now it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done," Trump said, offering his assistance in future meetings.
What do you think about these claims? Let us know in the comments below!
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