Recently, President Trump had a private conversation he deemed “crazy” as he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with seven European leaders, prepared for a White House meeting aimed at discussing the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“I think he is him [Russian President Vladimir Putin],” Trump whispered to French President Emmanuel Macron in the East Room. “He wants to make a deal for me. It’s just as crazy as you can hear it.”
These comments hint at Trump’s view that Putin might be eager to accommodate him, providing further perspective on the discussions that took place in Anchorage, Alaska, with the Russian leader.
During the summit attended by Trump and Special President Steve Witkov, it was noted that Putin had agreed with the U.S. and other NATO allies about defending Ukraine, suggesting that Moscow risks violating terms linked to a potential peace agreement.
“We have… got an agreement that the U.S. can provide. [NATO] Protection like Article 5 is the time we first heard of… Russians agree,” Witkov shared during an appearance on “United States” with Jake Tupper.
NATO Executive Director Mark Latte praised Trump’s agreement and mentioned it would mark a significant advancement for the U.S. to offer such support alongside its European allies.
“The fact that you said, ‘I’m willing to participate in security assurances’ is a big step – it’s really a breakthrough and it makes all the difference,” Latte remarked, thanking Trump for his willingness to engage.
However, once news of European leaders celebrating Trump’s initiative reached Moscow, the Kremlin sought to clarify Putin’s stance to the U.S. president.
“We reaffirm the repeated stance on the categorical rejection of scenarios that envisage the participation of NATO countries and the appearance of the military department in Ukraine,” declared the Russian Foreign Ministry to Ria Novosti, a news agency under Kremlin control.
As of now, Putin has not made a public statement on the matter.
After his meetings with Zelensky and the European leaders, Trump reached out to Putin to start arranging a potential meeting involving the two leaders, as well as a trilateral gathering including the U.S. president, which he shared in a post on social media.
“Again, this was a very good, early stage in a war that has been going on for almost four years,” Trump noted in his post. “…Everyone is very pleased with the potential for peace in Russia/Ukraine.”
