Russian President Vladimir Putin, the former KGB operative known for his strategic manipulation of world leaders, appeared to court President Donald Trump on Friday, suggesting that the invasion of Ukraine could have been avoided had Trump been in office in 2022.
What Putin Said About Trump
“I’d like to remind you that in 2022, during the last contact with the previous administration, I tried to convince my previous American colleague the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it would come to hostilities,” Putin said following his meeting with Trump.
“And I said it quite directly back then. That’s a big mistake today, when President Trump is saying that if he was the president back then, there would be no war – and I’m quite sure that it would indeed be, so I can confirm that.”
Putin Known For Using Flattery, Psychological Tactics
Trained in strategic communications during his KGB years, Putin is known for using flattery and psychological tactics on world leaders. During Friday’s meeting, he emphasized the “business-like” nature of his relationship with Trump.
“I think that, overall, me and President Trump have built a very good business-like [relationship],” Putin said.
Also Read: Lip Reader Reveals What Trump And Putin Whispered In Alaska Before Closed Door Summit
What Trump Said In Response
Although Trump has previously claimed that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he had been president in 2022, he appeared to avoid engaging with Putin’s suggestion during Friday’s discussion. While calling Putin’s nine-minute prepared speech “profound,” Trump did not echo his longstanding talking point.
Instead, the US president reminded Putin that the United States would not pursue business dealings with Russia until the Kremlin ends its ongoing war in Ukraine. He highlighted America’s position of strength in global business and diplomacy.
Putin Leaves Alaska
“We … have some tremendous Russian business representatives here, and I think everybody wants to deal with us. We’ve become the hottest country anywhere in the world in a very short period of time,” Trump said. “We look forward to dealing — we’re going to try and get this over with. … We’ll have a good chance when this is over.”
After concluding the bilateral talks, Putin returned to his airplane, departing Alaska. Trump, meanwhile, remained at the venue, preparing for an interview with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, just hours after the summit concluded.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
