Putin claims Ukraine war could have been avoided under Trump presidency

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that the ongoing war in Ukraine might never have happened if Donald Trump had retained the US presidency in 2020. Putin described the conflict, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as a "crisis" and linked it to what he called the "stolen" 2020 election.

“I cannot but agree with him that if he had been president, if his victory had not been stolen from him in 2020, then perhaps there would not have been the crisis in Ukraine that arose in 2022,” Putin told Russian state media, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Putin praises Trump

Putin spoke highly of Trump, calling him not just a "smart person" but also "pragmatic." The Russian leader hinted that such pragmatism might have paved the way for peaceful negotiations, averting the war. He further emphasised that Russia remains open to talks, particularly with US involvement.

“As for the issue of negotiations, we have always said, and I want to emphasise this once again, that we are ready for these negotiations on Ukrainian issues,” Putin said. He added that any agreement would have to align with US economic interests, reflecting his belief in Trump’s deal-making ability.

Mixed messages from Moscow

Despite Putin's remarks, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a sharply contrasting statement the same day. The ministry criticised Western nations for supplying arms to Ukraine and dismissed Kyiv's government as an "illegitimate regime."

“Despite the increasingly loud talk about the need for peace talks, no practical actions indicating a real readiness for them on the part of Kyiv and the West are objectively observed,” the ministry stated.

“The issue of the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government is not being resolved," it added.

'No peace talks without Europe'

Ukraine swiftly responded to Putin's comments. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office rejected the idea of peace talks involving only Putin and Trump, insisting that European representatives must be included in any negotiations.

The statement comes amid ongoing tensions, with the war showing no signs of abating. Observers are closely watching former President Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in 24 hours if re-elected. On the campaign trail and during Biden’s presidency, Trump promised to impose tough sanctions on Russia while increasing arms supplies to Ukraine to force a deal.