President Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin “want to stop the fight” and shot down a proposal that Putin's ambition could spread across Ukrainian borders.
“I think he wants to stop fighting. I understand. We spoke for so long. [Middle East envoy] Steve Witkoff was with him for a very long time, including about three hours. Trump told reporters on Sunday.
“They have a big, powerful machine. You understand that,” Trump continued. “And they beat Hitler, defeated Napoleon. They've fought for a long time. They've done it before…but he wants to stop fighting.”
This statement comes as the Trump administration tries to negotiate the end of the Russian-Ukraine war. This began nearly three years before Putin led an unprovoked invasion by his neighbor Ukraine.
Asked about Putin's territorial ambitions and whether he thinks Putin wants the entire Ukrainian land – Trump said Putin asked the same question.
“He wants to stop. That was my question for him. If he continued, it would be a big problem for us and that would have caused me a big problem.
“He wants to finish it, and they want it to finish quickly. Trump continues, saying Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelensky “want to finish it.” Ta.
In an interview aired Sunday on NBC News' “Meet the Press,” Zelensky told host Kristen Welker that when he last spoke to Trump, the Ukrainian president said he wanted peace. He told Trump he advised him to trust Putin. Zelensky said Putin was a “liar” and told Trump that he was “a little scary.”
“And I think the president has this opportunity and he's strong,” Zelensky said of Trump. “And I really think he can push Putin to peace talks. Yes, I think so. I think he can do it, but don't trust him. Don't trust Putin. Don't just trust the words about the ceasefire.”
Zelensky also said in an interview that “Putin believes he will go to war with NATO,” and that “documents that we have intelligence and prepare a trained mission of many soldiers on Belarus' territory. There is.” He said he was worried that Putin could be at risk of targeting Poland and Lithuania next.
Trump asked about Zelensky's warning about Putin's potential war against NATO. “No, I don't agree. I don't agree. No, none of it.”
