Trump on peace agreement: We will see what happens over week, we are at final stage
US President Donald Trump made it clear that he expects events this week that will contribute to the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the negotiation process is at the final stage.
“We’ll have to see what happens over the next period of pretty much a week. We’re down to final strokes. And again, this is Biden’s war. I’m not gonna get saddled—I don’t wanna be saddled with it. It’s a terrible war,” Trump said in an interview with The Atlantic magazine, recorded on Thursday, April 24.
Asked in the context of a conversation about the Russia-Ukraine war why he did not have sympathy for the nations oppressed by Russia, as previous American presidents have over the past 100 years, Trump expressed his belief that he did, but "that nation will be crushed very shortly."
“I think I’m saving that nation. I think that nation will be crushed very shortly. It’s a big war machine. Let’s face it. And if it weren’t for me—I’m the one that gave them the Javelins that knocked out the tanks… You know, that was a big moment because, had those tanks gone in, they were 71 miles outside of Kyiv and they were going to take over Kyiv. That was the end of the war; it would’ve ended in one day. And that was one of the reasons it went on,” he said.
“Now, I could also make the case that it’s too bad it went on, because a lot of people have died. A lot more people died in that war than is being reported. Not just soldiers. It’s a lot of soldiers, but it’s a lot of other people too. And, you know, I really can make the case that I’ve been very good because I’m saving that country. The prime minister of Norway—very respected guy—says that if President Trump didn’t get involved, this war would never end. I think I’m doing a great service to Ukraine. I believe that,” Trump added.
At the same time, he suggested that he might speak out "not necessarily on Zelenskyy’s side, but on Ukraine’s side," explaining that he has "had a hard time with Zelenskyy."
Commenting on his post on the Truth Social platform, in which he called on Vladimir Putin to stop, Trump noted that this call could work: "You may be surprised."
When asked whether he was considering providing Ukraine with more weapons to help it maintain its territorial integrity, the US president made it clear that he was primarily considering the option of increasing sanctions pressure. “Doesn’t have to be weapons. There are many forms of weapons. Doesn’t have to be weapons with bullets. It can be weapons with sanctions. It can be weapons with banking. It can be many other weapons,” Trump said.