According to the head of the White House, Putin “now does not look very good, but he wants to look good.”
“Do not forget, everything was supposed to end in a week. If he had not been bogged down in the mud with tanks, they would be in Kyiv in five hours [после начала полномасштабного вторжения]”, – said the US President.
He did not answer directly to the question whether Putin interferes with the world, translating the conversation to Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky. He mentioned the skirmish in the White House at the end of February.
“Listen, I had a rather difficult conversation with Zelensky, because I did not like what he said. And he did not make the matter easier. I always said: he has no trump cards. And they really are not,” he added.
Commenting on negotiations in Turkey, Trump said he did not see a decision without his personal participation.
“There can be no meeting without me, because, as for me, without me the agreement will not pass. I have a very good relationship with Putin. I think we will reach an agreement,” he said.
Trump also promised that he was using economic sanctions against the Russian Federation “if necessary”, but emphasized that “he would not want this.”
Context
On the night of May 11, after Ultimatum of European countries Upon ceasefire in Ukraine, the illegitimate President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin proposed to Ukraine resume direct negotiations on the war “without preliminary conditions “ In Istanbul on May 15.
Trump called for Ukraine to agree immediately To meet with the Russian Federation. After that, Zelensky said: he will wait for Putin in Turkey on May 15. The Kremlin was silent in response, confirming the composition of the delegation only on the night of May 14. The illegitimate president of the Russian Federation did not come to a meeting in Turkey, instead sent a low -level delegation (it was headed by Putin's assistant Medinsky), which Zelensky He called the butacher.
Trump, who at first did not exclude the opportunity to come to Istanbul, after Putin’s refusal to arrive in Turkey said that he “was not going to” go there. “Why would he go if I don’t go? ”Trump said on May 15, answering the question of the absence of the head of the Kremlin in the negotiations.
On May 16, negotiations of delegations of the Russian Federation and Ukraine were negotiated. The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said according to the results of negotiations that the Russians demanded a number of things unacceptable to Ukraine.
The interlocutor in Ukrainian diplomacy told Sky News that in the negotiations in Istanbul The Russian Federation demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from “its territories” for the ceasefire (what exactly was being discussed, the channel did not specify). There were other requirements that cannot be fulfilled.
According to the informed interlocutor, which was referred to by the journalist The Economist Oliver Carroll, the Russian delegation also threatened to seize the Kharkov or Sumy region. Medinsky said that the Russian Federation allegedly “could fight forever.” In addition, the interlocutor of the “suspension” said that the delegation of the Russian Federation was made a demand to recognize Crimea by the Russian one.
