![Moment Trump Is Caught on Hot Mic Telling Macron About Making a Deal with Putin [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdata.ibtimes.sg%2Fen%2Ffull%2F82972%2Ftrump-macron.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Moment Trump Is Caught on Hot Mic Telling Macron About Making a Deal with Putin [WATCH]
"I think he [Russian President Vladimir Putin] wants to make a deal," Trump whispered to French President Emmanuel Macron in the East Room. "I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that? As crazy as it sounds." The comment, suggesting Trump believes Putin is desperate to win his approval, offered further insight into his view of the Friday meeting with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.
Trump's Feeling About Putin
Trump was caught on hot mic whispering tp Macron about Putin X
Trump and special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff — who both attended Friday's summit — claimed that they managed to secure Putin's agreement allowing the U.S. and other NATO forces to defend Ukraine if Moscow were to violate the terms of a possible peace agreement.
"We sort of were able to ... get an agreement that the, that the United States could offer [NATO] Article 5-like protection, which is the first time we had ever heard ... the Russians agree to that," Witkoff told CNN "State of the Union" co-host Jake Tapper on Sunday.
On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Trump for the deal, calling it a "big step" for the U.S. to extend such support in coordination with its European allies.
"The fact that you have said, 'I'm willing to participate in security guarantees' is a big step — is really a breakthrough, and it makes all the difference," the former Dutch prime minister said. "Thank you for that."
Everyone Wants war to End
Donald Trump with Volodymyr Zelensky and other world leaders at the White House X
However, once word spread in Moscow about European leaders hailing Trump's achievement, the Kremlin tried to downplay or retract Putin's commitment to the U.S. president.
"We reaffirm our repeatedly stated position on our categorical rejection of any scenarios that envisage the appearance in Ukraine of a military contingent with the participation of NATO countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry told Kremlin-owned news agency Ria Novosti.
Putin, however, has not released any statement on the issue so far.
Trump said he called Putin after his talks with Zelensky and the European leaders to start arranging a meeting between the two warring sides, which would later be expanded into a trilateral discussion involving the U.S. president, according to a post on Truth Social.
"Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years," Trump wrote in his post. "...Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine."
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