Trump’s Stance on Ukraine Conflict
Donald Trump said his administration held serious discussions with Russia about the Ukraine war. He hinted that significant actions could follow these talks. “We will be speaking and, perhaps, do something significant,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He stressed that the war would not have started if he were president.
Trump did not specify which officials contacted the Russians but confirmed ongoing discussions. When asked if he had personally spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied, “I don’t want to say that.” He has frequently asserted that the conflict would not exist under his leadership, despite serving as president during rising tensions in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv’s forces and Russian-backed separatists.
Since retaking office, Trump has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of missing opportunities to negotiate with Putin. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump mocked Zelenskyy, saying Ukraine acted bravely but depended heavily on US aid. “They were brave, but we gave them billions of dollars,” Trump remarked.
US Aid and Trump’s Criticism of Biden’s Ukraine Policy
Ukraine now relies on the US for about 40% of its military supplies. Since February 2022, Washington has provided over $65 billion (€62 billion) in aid to Kyiv. Trump criticized Biden’s administration for these expenditures, arguing that he could resolve the war “within a day” if elected in 2024.
In a separate interview with Russian state television, Putin praised Trump as pragmatic and focused on US interests. “We always had a pragmatic but trusting relationship,” Putin said. He claimed that if Trump had won in 2020, the 2022 Ukraine crisis could have been avoided. Putin’s endorsement supported Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. However, federal officials, courts, and even Trump’s own legal advisors found no evidence of widespread election fraud.
Trump’s relationship with Putin has long been under scrutiny. During his 2016 campaign, Trump urged Russia to expose Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails. He later publicly sided with Putin over US intelligence on Russian interference in that election. Trump has consistently praised Putin, calling him “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine and highlighting their strategic relationship.