Putin Suggests Trump Win Could Have Averted Ukraine Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the war in Ukraine might not have taken place if President Donald Trump had not lost the 2020 election. In a recent interview, Putin argued that the conflict, which began in 2022, could have been avoided under Trump’s leadership.

Putin stated that if Trump had remained president, the crisis in Ukraine “might not have happened.” He described Trump as a practical leader and expressed optimism about the potential for negotiations with the current US administration.

Putin’s remarks followed continued criticism from Moscow regarding Western military support for Ukraine. Russian authorities have accused Western governments of prolonging the war by supplying arms to Ukrainian forces and refusing to consider peace efforts.

President Donald Trump, now in his second term, has reiterated that he could have ended the war quickly had he been in charge at the time. He recently posted on Truth Social, warning Russia of severe economic penalties if a resolution is not reached, including tariffs and sanctions targeting Russian exports.

Ukraine’s leadership pushed back against Putin’s claims, with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office asserting that any peace talks must include European nations and cannot be limited to US and Russian negotiations alone.

Previous attempts at peace discussions were reportedly derailed by international pressure. Russian officials allege that Ukraine had initially signaled a willingness to negotiate, but external influences discouraged any settlement efforts.