Trump says it is perhaps higher to let Ukraine, Russia “struggle for whereas”

President Donald Trump mentioned on Thursday, 5 June, that it is perhaps higher to let Ukraine and Russia “struggle for some time” earlier than pulling them aside and pursuing peace.

In an Oval Workplace assembly with German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump likened the struggle in Ukraine — which Russia invaded in early 2022 — to a struggle between two younger kids who hated one another.

“Typically you are higher off letting them struggle for some time after which pulling them aside,” Trump mentioned. He added that he had relayed that analogy to Russian president Vladimir Putin of their cellphone dialog on Wednesday, 4 June.

Requested about Trump’s feedback as the 2 leaders sat subsequent to one another, Merz pressured that each he and Trump agreed “on this struggle and the way horrible this struggle is happening”, pointing to the US president because the “key particular person on this planet” who would be capable to cease the bloodshed.

However Merz additionally emphasised that Germany “was on the aspect of Ukraine” and that Kyiv was solely attacking navy targets, not Russian civilians.

“We try to get them stronger,” Merz mentioned of Ukraine.

Thursday’s assembly marked the primary time that the 2 leaders sat down in particular person. After exchanging pleasantries — Merz gave Trump a gold-framed beginning certificates of the US president’s grandfather Friedrich Trump, who immigrated from Germany — the 2 leaders have been to debate points similar to Ukraine, commerce and NATO spending.