Puutin says Ukraine battle might have been averted had Trump been in workplace

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks throughout his go to to the Lomonosov Moscow State College in Moscow on January 24, 2025. Photograph: Sputnik by way of Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (January 24, 2025) echoed U.S. President Donald Trump’s declare the battle in Ukraine might have been prevented had he been within the White Home in 2022. He additionally stated Moscow is prepared for talks with the U.S. on a broad vary of points.

In an interview with Russian state tv, Mr. Putin praised Mr. Trump as a “intelligent and pragmatic man” who is concentrated on U.S. pursuits.

“We at all times had a business-like, pragmatic but additionally trusting relationship with the present U.S. president,” Mr. Putin stated. “I couldn’t disagree with him that if he had been President, in the event that they hadn’t stolen victory from him in 2020, the disaster that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 might have been averted.”

Mr. Putin’s assertion was his bluntest endorsement but of Mr. Trump’s refusal to just accept his defeat within the 2020 election.

Mr. Trump additionally has stated repeatedly he wouldn’t have allowed the battle to begin if he had been in workplace, though he was president as combating grew within the east of the nation between Kyiv’s forces and separatists aligned with Moscow, forward of Mr. Putin sending in tens of hundreds of troops in 2022.

On Thursday (January 23, 2025), Mr. Trump instructed Fox Information that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ought to have made a take care of Mr. Putin to keep away from the battle.

Mr. Putin emphasised on Friday (January 24, 2025) that he’s open to talks however pointed to Mr. Zelenskyy’s 2022 resolution to rule out negotiations with Moscow.

“How is it attainable to conduct talks if they’re banned?” Mr. Putin stated. “If the talks begin within the present authorized framework, they’d be illegitimate and the outcomes of these talks may be declared illegitimate.”

He additionally stated the U.S. and Russia have many different gadgets on their agenda, together with nuclear arms management and financial points.

“We will have numerous factors of contact with the present administration and seek for options to key problems with right this moment,” Mr. Putin stated.

He stated the sanctions in opposition to Russia launched throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period and below Joe Biden’s administration had damage U.S. pursuits, undermining the greenback’s function in international monetary system.

Mr. Putin described Mr. Trump as “not solely intelligent, however a realistic man”, including. “I discover it laborious to think about that he would make choices that will damage the American financial system”.

“We’d higher meet and have a peaceful dialog on all problems with curiosity to each the USA and Russia primarily based on right this moment’s realities,” Mr. Putin stated.

He famous that as high oil producers and main industrial powers, Russia and the U.S. aren’t thinking about international oil costs being both too low or too excessive. “We’ve got issues to speak about,” Mr. Putin stated.

Talking by video from the White Home to the annual World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday (January 23, 2025), Mr. Trump stated the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting international locations shares accountability for the almost 3-year-old battle in Ukraine as a result of it has stored oil costs too excessive.

“If the worth got here down, the Russia-Ukraine struggle would finish instantly,” he stated. Vitality gross sales kind a big a part of Russia’s earnings.

Requested about Mr. Trump’s feedback, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov affirmed Moscow’s view that the battle was triggered by the West’s refusal to bear in mind Russian safety pursuits.

“The battle doesn’t rely upon oil costs,” Mr. Peskov stated in a convention name with reporters. “The battle is ongoing due to the menace to Russia’s nationwide safety, the menace to Russians dwelling on these territories and the refusal by the Individuals and the Europeans to hearken to Russia’s safety considerations. It’s not linked to grease costs.”

Mr. Peskov’s feedback echoed Putin’s statements that he needed to ship troops into Ukraine to fend off a menace to Russia’s safety ensuing from plans for Ukraine to affix NATO and to guard Russian audio system dwelling there. Ukraine and the West have denounced Moscow’s motion as an unprovoked act of aggression.

On Wednesday (January 22, 2025), Mr. Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs and sanctions on Russia if an settlement isn’t reached to finish the combating in Ukraine.

Mr. Peskov stated the Kremlin was intently following Mr. Trump’s statements and famous he imposed a slew of sanctions in his first time period. He stated Moscow “stays prepared for an equal dialogue, for a mutually respectful dialogue”.

“This dialogue befell between the 2 presidents throughout Trump’s first presidency. And we’re ready for alerts that we have now not obtained but,” Mr. Peskov stated.