MOSCOW (AP) – On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that the conflict in Ukraine could have been averted if Trump had been in the White House during 2022. In a discussion with Russian state television, Putin expressed his willingness for talks with the U.S. on an array of issues.
Putin characterized Trump as a "clever and pragmatic man" focused on American interests. "We always had a business-like, pragmatic but also trusting relationship with the current U.S. president," he stated. Putin agreed with Trump that the crisis that erupted in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided if Trump had not lost the 2020 election—a claim that routes back to Trump's ongoing refusal to acknowledge his electoral defeat.
Despite being the president when tensions escalated in eastern Ukraine—between Kyiv’s forces and Moscow-aligned separatists—Trump has repeatedly contended that he would have prevented the conflict had he remained in office. On Thursday, he further argued during an interview with Fox News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should have negotiated with Putin to avert the war.
In response, Putin underscored his openness to discussions but highlighted that Zelenskyy's decision in 2022 to eliminate negotiations with Moscow creates obstacles. "How is it possible to conduct talks if they are banned?" he queried, adding that starting talks under the current legal framework would render them illegitimate.
During his comments, Putin emphasized that the U.S. and Russia have a plethora of topics to discuss, spanning nuclear arms control and economic relations. "We can have quite a lot of points of contact with the current administration and search for solutions to key issues of today," he stated. He criticized U.S.-imposed sanctions during both Trump’s and Joe Biden's terms, suggesting they have negatively impacted American interests and diminished the dollar's global role.
Putin further commended Trump’s focus on American economic issues, stating, "I find it hard to imagine that he would make decisions that would hurt the American economy." He advocated for a calm dialogue between both countries on issues of mutual importance, particularly given their status as major oil producers that should avoid extreme fluctuations in global oil prices. "We have things to talk about," he noted.
In a video appearance from the White House at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump had previously stated that the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting nations bore some responsibility for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine due to elevated oil prices. "If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," he declared, as energy sales constitute a significant portion of Russia's revenue.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacted to Trump’s remarks by reiterating Russia's stance that the conflict's origins lie in the West's disregard for Russian security interests. "The conflict doesn't depend on oil prices," Peskov asserted during a conference call with reporters, emphasizing that the crisis is a result of perceived threats to Russia's national security and the ignored assurances regarding the safety of Russians living in Ukraine.
Peskov's comments were in line with Putin's viewpoint that military action in Ukraine was necessary to address threats stemming from NATO expansions and protect Russian-speaking populations. In contrast, Ukraine and the West have condemned Moscow's military actions as an unjustified invasion.
On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose significant tariffs and sanctions on Russia if a resolution to the ongoing conflict is not achieved. In light of this, Peskov indicated that Moscow is attentively observing Trump's statements and recalled that he had enacted numerous sanctions during his first term. He expressed that the Kremlin is still open to a dialogue that respects both parties. "This dialogue took place between the two presidents during Trump’s first presidency. And we are waiting for signals that we have not received yet," added Peskov.
