Trump ‘tries to cease WW3’ as he calls for Putin make a deal after ‘ruining Russia’
Vladimir Putin is ‘destroying Russia’ by not making a deal over the war in Ukraine, new US President Donald Trump has said – Mad Vlad’s war in Ukraine continues
New US President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin is “destroying Russia” as his war in Ukraine rumbles on. “He has to make a deal,” Trump said shortly after taking office on Monday. “I think he is destroying Russia by not making a deal… I think Russia is going to be in big trouble. He can’t be thrilled that he’s not doing so well.”
Trump has said Putin would be destroying Russia by failing to make a deal on the war in Ukraine, pointing out Russia’s economic troubles, including high inflation. Trump added: “I mean, he’s grinding it out, but most people thought the war would be over in about a week, and now it’s been three years, right?”
Putin, meanwhile, has called on the new president embarking on his second term in office to help “prevent World War Three”.
Putin told his security council that “we hear” Trump’s comments on avoiding a third global conflict. “We undoubtedly welcome such a disposition and congratulate the elected US president,” the Russian President said.
Moscow is open to dialogue with the Trump administration on Ukraine, Putin said, emphasising the need to respect Russia’s interests and adding “the most important thing is to remove the root causes of the crisis”.
“As for the settlement of the situation, I would like to underline that its goal should not be a short truce, not some kind of respite for regrouping forces and rearmament with the aim of subsequently continuing the conflict, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people, all nations living in this region,” he said.
Trump said he would talk to Putin “very quickly” after taking office. Of a potential peace plan, Trump said: “We’re going to try to do it as quickly as possible. You know, the war between Russia and Ukraine should never have started.”
Marco Rubio, Trump’s new secretary of state, said “a solution” could take months to find.
Trump has also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had told him he wanted to make a peace deal and voiced hope that Mr Putin would follow suit.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov dodged commenting on Trump’s statement, saying the Kremlin is waiting for “concrete proposals that could form the basis for contacts”.
“We are open and ready for serious dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict, and if relevant signals come from Washington, we would pick them up and stand ready to conduct talks,” he said, adding the Kremlin has not received any such signals yet.
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