Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that he is open to discussions with US President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine, commending him as an “intelligent” leader who could have potentially averted the conflict that began in 2022.
Kyiv promptly responded, cautioning against being sidelined in the talks.
The Russian leader did not specify a timeline for when negotiations might occur, and the Kremlin previously indicated it was still awaiting “signals” from Washington, even though Trump declared on Thursday he was ready to meet with Putin “right away.”
“We have consistently maintained, and I wish to reiterate this, that we are open to negotiations on matters concerning Ukraine,” Putin informed a reporter from Russian state media.
Putin also reiterated Trump’s baseless assertion that he defeated Joe Biden in the 2020 US presidential election, calling him a “smart” and “pragmatic” man.
“I can’t help but agree with him that perhaps the Ukrainian crisis that arose in 2022 would not have occurred if he had been president — if his victory hadn’t been stolen in 2020,” Putin stated.
Relations between the two nuclear powers have reached their lowest points since the Cold War as a result of the nearly three-year crisis in Ukraine.
Trump, who took office on Monday, has referred to the situation as “ridiculous” and vowed to impose more severe economic sanctions on Russia if it does not halt its onslaught.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, the Republican stated, “I’m going to impose massive tariffs on Russia, massive taxes, and also big sanctions if they don’t settle this war soon, like almost immediately.”
Trump stated that he would request that Saudi Arabia and OPEC reduce oil prices, saying that “if the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos that same day.
Trump’s assertion that reduced oil prices could hasten the conclusion of the war was rebutted by Putin.
Putin stated on Friday, “I find it difficult to believe that decisions will be made that are harmful to the American economy.”
