Putin Claims Ukraine War Wouldn’t Have Happened If Trump Were President in 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested during a press conference in Alaska that the ongoing war in Ukraine could have been avoided had Donald Trump been in office instead of Joe Biden when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Putin Backs Trump’s Longstanding Claim

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the Ukraine conflict would never have escalated under his leadership. On Friday, Putin openly agreed with Trump’s assessment, saying that the Republican leader’s claim was “correct.”

Putin’s Criticism of Biden

Putin alleged that in early 2022, before launching the invasion, he had attempted to convince President Biden to prevent the crisis from spiraling into war. According to him, Washington’s refusal to heed Moscow’s warnings led to the outbreak of large-scale hostilities.

Praise for Trump’s Relationship With Moscow

Highlighting his past ties with Trump, Putin said the two shared a constructive working relationship.

“President Trump and I established a very good, businesslike, and trusting contact,” he told reporters. “I believe that by moving along this path, we can achieve the end of the conflict in Ukraine — and the sooner, the better.”