Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Friday that the war in Ukraine might not have started if Donald Trump were president in 2022 instead of Joe Biden. Putin made these remarks during a joint press conference with Trump in Alaska, following a closed-door meeting where the two leaders discussed the ongoing conflict.
“I’d like to remind you that in 2022, during the last contact with the previous administration, I tried to convince my previous American colleague the situation should not be brought to the point of no return,” Putin stated in Russian, according to a translator. He suggested that the war could have been avoided, calling it a “big mistake.”
Putin echoed Trump’s sentiment that the war would not have happened under his administration. “Today, when President Trump is saying that if he was the president back then, there will be no war, and I’m quite sure that it would indeed be so. I can confirm that,” he said, reflecting the confidence both leaders share about how past interactions influenced global events.
Trump has previously asserted that the conflict would not exist if he were still in office. In a CNN town hall in May 2023, he stated, “If I were president, this would have never happened,” adding that even Democrats acknowledge this perspective. He emphasized the tragic human cost of the war, stating, “All those dead people, both Russian and Ukrainian… they wouldn’t be dead today.”
Putin’s comments drew a stark contrast between his interactions with the Trump administration and those with Biden. He remarked on the “business-like and trustworthy” relationship they built, expressing a sense of optimism. “I think that overall, me and President Trump have built a very good business-like and trustworthy contact,” he said, suggesting that meaningful discussions could aid in resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
Overall, both leaders appear to agree on the notion that their past cooperation might have changed the course of events concerning the war in Ukraine. Their shared views on the situation reveal a perspective that stresses the importance of stable leadership and effective diplomacy in international relations.
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