Donald Trump has responded positively to recent comments made by President Putin, saying it must mean his stance on Ukraine is “right.’
The former US president has made a habit of claiming he could stop Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine “in 24 hours” though he has yet to explain just exactly how he would do this.
President Putin appears to be a fan of the vague strategy, saying recently: “We surely hear that Mr. Trump says he will resolve all burning issues within several days, including the Ukrainian crisis.
“We cannot help but feel happy about it.”
In an interview with NBC News published on Sunday, Trump appeared to revel in the praise, saying: “Well, I like that he said that.
“Because that means what I’m saying is right. I would get him into a room. I’d get Zelenskyy into a room. Then I’d bring them together.
“And I’d have a deal worked out. I would get a deal worked out. It would’ve been a lot easier before it started.”
Donald Trump on the war in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/zP4oMe8zoM
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) September 17, 2023
Trump once again refused to go into detail about his plan, saying that “if I tell you exactly, I lose all my bargaining chips.”
He added: “But I would say certain things to Putin. I would say certain things to Zelenskyy, both of whom I get along.”
Trump has repeatedly made the same vague claims over the last few months.
During a town hall event on Fox News in June, where he also said he “got along with Putin” and made bizarre comments about the current waves of Russian missile and drone attacks against Kyiv, he said: “I want to stop that war, I don’t want that war to continue.
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“And I’ll stop that war, mark my words, I’ll stop that war in 24 hours.”
The event’s host Sean Hannity then interrupted to say: “Mr President, let me ask. Serious question. How do you stop that war in 24 hours?”
He replied: “I will get them into a room, and I know an exact way. You tell one ‘you’re not going to get anything unless you make a deal.’ You tell the other one ‘they’re going to get a lot unless you make a deal.’
“And you just sit them, and you put them, and you have to make a determination.”
Donald Trump claims he will end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours.” Pressed by Sean Hannity on how, he struggles to respond:
— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) June 2, 2023
“I will get them into a room ... and I’m telling you, within 24 hours that whole thing will be settled.”
pic.twitter.com/aZMLZOmcTb
Although Trump did not say which one was which, his comments appear to suggest he would force Ukraine to accept the loss of territories illegally occupied and annexed by Russian forces with the threat of rewarding President Putin with even more if they refuse to accept his offer.
Trump was asked directly in the NBC interview if he would make Ukraine give up territory to Russia.
He replied "no, no, no, no," adding: “I’d make a fair deal for everybody. Nope, I’d make it fair.”
Again, he did not say how this would be achieved.
Back in June, President Zelensky said he “didn’t understand” comments made by Trump in which he claimed he would stop Russia’s war on Ukraine “in 24 hours”, saying he could have done so while previously in office but didn’t do so.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said: “I didn’t understand when Donald Trump said ‘in 24 hours I will bring Putin and Zelensky to the table and end the war.’
“He could have done that, but it didn’t happen. Yes, the question probably wasn’t pressing at the time because there was no full-scale invasion.
“But our territories were occupied.”
Trump was elected president in 2016, two years after Russian forces invaded and illegally occupied Crimea and the parts of the Donbas.
The war in Donbas continued throughout all four years of his presidency.
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