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Former President Trump made a bold statement on Monday, claiming that a conversation he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin delayed their country’s invasion of Ukraine for several years. Trump spoke exclusively with Bret Baier on Fox News’ “Special Report”.
The former president recalled warning Putin that an invasion would be a catastrophe with hell to pay. Ivanka and Putin had an excellent relationship according to Trump, “I mean, I haven’t spoken to him in a long while, but I had a very strong relationship.”
When asked about ending the war, which he claims he could do within 24 hours, he said, “I talked to Putin, and I know that he wouldn’t have done it if it were me. He did it after I left.”
Trump believed that Putin needed to understand the dire consequences of his potential actions. Telling Putin about his concerns, Trump stated, “I thought he might do it. Look, I talked to him. I said, ‘If you do it, there’s going to be hell to pay. It’s going to be a catastrophe. Don’t do it.'”
Trump explained that Putin didn’t believe him at first, but Trump pushed back and showed that he was serious. “I told him I was going to do something. He said, ‘No, no, no, you will not do that.’ I said, ‘I will, Vladimir, I will do it. I’m going to do it.'”
Trump also shared his theory that Putin only believed “maybe 10%” of what he was saying, but that 10% was enough to stop the invasion. Trump claimed, “It was only after I left (office) that you started hearing about the invasion.”
Trump was asked if he thought Ukraine was a separate country from Russia; he replied that it was but used to be one country. “Putin liked it that way,” he added.
As for the current conflict and the possibility of negotiations between the two countries, Trump declined to weigh in. He believed that speaking on the matter would impede negotiations, but he made it clear that he could negotiate a resolution within 24 hours.
Trump said, “I’m telling you, within 24 hours – that’s what I did. I became very rich doing deals. And you know what? Much more so than people even understand. And that’s what I do. I would have a deal done in 24 hours from the time we started.
And I would tell Zelenskyy something and I would tell Putin something, and I’d get him into a room, and I’d tell him again, and again. I would have a deal done quickly. The death would stop, and the destruction would stop because, look, Ukraine has been wiped out.”
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has been going on for more than 480 days, and Trump’s statements are causing waves. Democrats are already starting to criticize him, while conservative backlash has been swift and resolute.
While Trump still manages to hold a lot of support in certain parts of the country, many are troubled by this interview.
A lot of conservatives agree that a good relationship with Putin is desirable. By delaying Putin’s invasion, Trump further solidifies his stance that Russia is not an aggressive nation. Conservative Trump supporters are glad that America did not have to use its military to stop Putin but instead rely on diplomacy and good relationships.
The fact that Putin respected Trump’s warnings and delayed the invasion is seen by many as a testament to Trump’s diplomatic abilities, but there are others who disagree. They believe that Trump is not one to be given such accolades.
One of the more significant dangers of having a good relationship with Putin is that many view Russia as a national threat. Putin is known for suppressing his citizens, rigging elections, invading surrounding countries, and undermining democracy.
Putin’s worldview is very different from what we normally expect as Americans, and his aggressive tactics are often worrying. Even those with a degree of respect for Putin understand that he is not someone to be trusted.
A statement like the one Trump made needs to be assessed with caution. It is entirely possible that Putin’s invasion would have happened regardless of what Trump said to him. While Ukraine is suffering, it is not yet clear how effective Trump’s talks were in delaying Putin’s invasion.
Without a doubt, Trump’s statement will be a source of political bickering for years to come. Conservatives will proclaim that Trump deterred a potentially catastrophic war and maintained a peaceful relationship with Russia.
However, those who disagree with Trump will state that he is being too friendly to Russia, a country that has consistently acted in ways that endanger America’s security.
Regardless of whether Trump’s claims are true or not, what we can say is that Putin’s relationship with Trump was significantly different from his previous relationship with Obama.
Putin was much more respectful of Trump and viewed him as an equal. Trump’s relationship with Putin is one of the unique things about his presidency, but it also caused a lot of controversy.
It is not entirely clear why Trump is rehashing this conversation now. The interview with Fox News was clearly designed to appeal to Trump’s conservative base, but there is no doubt that Democrats will harangue the statement as well.
Trump’s ability to maintain his base is incredible, but his statements about the Putin conversation may be too much for some.
One of the more notable things about Trump’s interview is that he made it clear he believes he has an excellent ability to negotiate. Trump’s experience in the business world is one of his selling points, and he’s quick to point out that his international negotiation skills are unmatched. While this might be true to some extent, not everyone is as convinced of his abilities as his supporters are.
Some say Trump’s remarks were simplistic, while others questioned how Trump could come to the conclusion that he could have ended the war so easily.
There is no doubt that Trump is a skilled negotiator, but when it comes to diplomacy between countries, the stakes are much higher. Many events and issues need to be considered before a deal can be signed. It’s not clear whether Trump took these issues into account in his conversation with Putin.
Overall, the sentiment in conservative circles is still mixed about Trump’s claims. Some support his claims that negotiations are critical, while others are unhappy with the fact that Putin could have invaded Ukraine at all.
Regardless of where one stands, this revelation sheds some light on the relationship between America and Russia under the Trump presidency.
If Trump’s claims are true, then this is one of the most significant diplomatic accomplishments of his presidency.
It’s not clear how Trump’s revelation will affect his political aspirations. Some believe that the fact he was able to delay an invasion through diplomacy is a positive sign for his presidential campaign, while others believe that Trump’s statements could undermine his claims of negotiating skills. As always, Trump has managed to make headlines, and that’s something that he’s continuously been good at.