Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed on Friday his willingness to engage in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calling Trump a “smart” and “pragmatic” leader who may have prevented the war had he remained in power.
Putin’s remarks came amidst a backdrop of rising tensions, with the Kremlin indicating it was waiting for “signals” from Washington despite Trump’s declaration on Thursday that he was ready to meet Putin “immediately.”
“We have always said, and I want to emphasise this once again, that we are ready for these negotiations on Ukrainian issues,” Putin told Russian state television.
The Russian leader went on to praise Trump, agreeing with the former U.S. president’s unsubstantiated claim that he won the 2020 presidential election.
“I cannot but agree with him that if he had been president — if his victory hadn’t been stolen in 2020 — then maybe there would not have been the crisis in Ukraine that emerged in 2022,” Putin said.
Trump has been a vocal critic of the ongoing conflict, calling it “ridiculous” and warning Russia of severe economic consequences if it does not halt its military actions.
“If they don’t settle this war soon, like almost immediately, I’m going to put massive tariffs on Russia, and massive taxes, and also big sanctions,” Trump told Fox News on Thursday.
During the World Economic Forum in Davos the same day, Trump suggested that lower oil prices could bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to a swift end.
“If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” he claimed.
However, Putin rejected this notion, expressing doubt that the U.S. would take actions that could harm its own economy.
“I have a hard time imagining there will be decisions taken that are detrimental to the American economy,” Putin responded.
Despite Trump’s tough rhetoric, no signs of de-escalation have emerged from either side since his inauguration.
The conflict, which has now lasted nearly three years, has driven U.S.-Russia relations to their lowest point since the Cold War.
Trump has previously stated that, if given the opportunity, he could end the war within “24 hours.”
Ukraine, however, has firmly rejected any talks that exclude its involvement. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, warned against sidelining Ukraine in any negotiations, asserting, “He (Putin) wants to negotiate the fate of Europe — without Europe.
And he wants to talk about Ukraine without Ukraine. This is not going to happen. Putin needs to come back to reality himself, or he will be brought back. This is not how it works in the modern world.”
Meanwhile, the conflict continued to escalate, with Russian aerial strikes in the Kyiv region killing at least three people and injuring others, according to Ukrainian officials.
A drone hit a residential building, adding to the death toll as emergency responders recovered the victims.
Ukrainian military officials reported overnight drone attacks on Russian infrastructure, including an oil refinery, power stations, and an electronics factory in the Bryansk region.
The relentless assaults, which have become a daily occurrence since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continue to target military and energy facilities, contributing to mounting civilian casualties and widespread damage.
ROAMAN NEWS