US President Donald Trump has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “destroying” Russia by not negotiating a deal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“He (Vladimir Putin) has to make a deal. I think he is destroying Russia by not making a deal,” Trump said, as reported by The Sun. “I mean, he’s grinding it out, but most people thought the war would be over in about a week, and now it’s been three years, right?” the Republican added.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and has now entered its third year. Trump, who is serving his second and final term as President, made these remarks following Putin’s address to Russia’s security council, where the Kremlin leader commented on Trump’s statement about preventing “World War 3.”
“We undoubtedly welcome such a disposition and congratulate the new US President. We are open to dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict. The most important thing here is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis,” Putin reportedly said. An initial phone call between the two leaders is expected to take place soon.
According to Trump, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is “ready” for an agreement to pause the conflict with Russia.
Putin and Xi Jinping have a dialogue
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, a day after Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as U.S. President.
During the conversation, Putin highlighted that Russia-China relations are built on shared interests, equality, and mutual benefits, adding that these ties are not influenced by “internal political factors” or the “current international environment.”
“We jointly support the development of a more just multipolar global order and work to ensure indivisible security in Eurasia and the world as a whole,” Putin told Xi, as reported by Russian state TV.
For his inauguration, Trump had extended an invitation to Xi Jinping. However, the Chinese President sent Vice President Han Zheng to attend the ceremony on his behalf.
