As the battle in Ukraine has been going on for over three years, President Trump has now reportedly stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “destroying Russia.”
He has also expressed his hope that the Kremlin leader is willing to negotiate a peace agreement to bring an end to the fight.
“He should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal,” Trump said in a statement to reporters.
“He can’t be thrilled, he’s not doing so well. Russia is bigger, they have more soldiers to lose, but that’s no way to run a country.” he added.
On the campaign road in 2024, Trump has repeatedly asserted that he would put a stop to the war in Eastern Europe within a single day of entering office.
Russia’s military is currently conducting operations on the eastern part of Ukraine in an effort to gain ground on the front.
Trump’s scathing comments about Putin and Russia’s handling of the crisis came immediately after the Russian president congratulated him ahead of his inauguration on Monday and signaled that the country is open to communication with the incoming administration.
Trump’s comments were made in response to those made by Putin.
The office of Vladimir Putin has also stated that Moscow is willing to address the “Ukrainian conflict” with the United States government and has urged for the elimination of the underlying causes of the problem.
As a defense effort against Western states and alliances, primarily NATO, the Kremlin portrays the invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, as a defensive action.
The position of the Russian president on the possibility of dialogue was reaffirmed by his foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov.
Ushakov stated that the Kremlin is “taking into account” Trump’s words from Monday, but that they are waiting for Trump’s staff to initiate the potential talks.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, former Vice President Joe Biden did not engage in any conversations with Vladimir Putin; nonetheless, certain communication channels have been opened, primarily between the Russian Defense Ministry and the Pentagon in an effort to de-escalate tensions around the invasion.
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