Trump praises ‘respectful' Putin, criticises Zelensky ahead of crucial summit
Speaking at length for the first time about Friday's summit with Putin the US state of Alaska, Trump described it as a 'feel-out meeting' and said he would likely know within just two minutes whether an acceptable deal could be struck with the Russian leader to end the fighting.
Trump said he would call Zelensky and other European leaders immediately following the meeting, and if he believed there was a fair deal on the table, he would 'reveal' it to them. He defended his decision to see Putin one-on-one without Zelensky.
'I would say [Zelensky] could go, but he's gone to a lot of meetings. He's been there for 3½ years, nothing happened. Do you want someone who's been doing it for 3½ years?' Trump told reporters in Washington.
'I get along with Zelensky. But you know, I disagree with what he's done – very, very severely disagree. This is a war that should have never happened.'
Trump has repeatedly blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden and Zelensky for 'allowing' Putin to launch his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, claiming that if he, Trump, were the US president, Putin would have restrained himself.
By contrast, Trump said Putin was 'very respectful' for coming to Alaska for the meeting, and predicted their conversations would be constructive.
'At the end of that meeting – probably in the first two minutes – I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made,' Trump said. Asked how he would know, he said: 'Because that's what I do. I make deals.'
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