Russia will face “big problems” if Vladimir Putin refuses to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump has said.
“[Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelenskyy wants to make a deal. I don’t know if Putin wants to do that. He has to make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal. I think Russia is going to be in big trouble,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House. He said Putin “can’t be thrilled” with the way the war is going as it has been going on for three years. He promised to meet with Putin “as soon as possible” and “figure things out.”
Trump also commented on his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office as head of state. “It’s only been half a day. I have another half a day in reserve. We’ll see. We want to make it in time,” the president said, reiterating that Russia would not have started the war against Ukraine if he were in the White House.
