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US President Donald Trump has described Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “very smart” and “cunning” person but asserted that the Russian president will have to make concessions if a deal is to be reached to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking during his first cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump claimed that Putin had no intention of settling the conflict until he returned to office. “He’s a very smart guy, he’s a very cunning person,” Trump told reporters. “As far as this is concerned, he had no intention of settling the war until I got elected and spoke to him. I think we are going to have a deal.”
Trump suggested that had he not been elected, the war could have escalated further. “If I didn’t get elected, he would have continued to have gone through Ukraine. Over a period of time, a lot of people would have been killed,” he said.
Ukraine can forget about NATO, says Trump pic.twitter.com/Os4qLWsl2j
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 26, 2025
When asked whether Putin would be required to make concessions as part of any potential agreement to end the war, Trump responded affirmatively. “Yeah, he will … He’s going to have to,” he said, without elaborating on what those concessions might entail.
Trump also criticized NATO’s role in the Ukraine conflict, arguing that European countries should take greater responsibility for security guarantees. “We’re going to have Europe do that,” he stated, indicating that the US may not extend significant security commitments to Ukraine under his administration.
The remarks came as Trump looks to define his foreign policy approach in his second term, with a particular focus on ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations. His comments are likely to stir debate over the US stance on Russia and its leadership in global diplomacy.
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