Donald Trump reportedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and said the latter wouldn’t have attacked Ukraine if he were still leading the United States.
What Happened: The former president said, at an event in Florida, that he “actually had a very good relationship” with Putin, reported RollingStone.
Trump reportedly also defended the past stance that he trusted Putin over his own intelligence setup on the question of whether Russia had interfered in the 2016 election.
At the time Trump said, “I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”
Why It Matters: Trump lavished praise on Putin as President Joe Biden visited Ukraine in the early hours of Monday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported RollingStone.
In January, Trump offered to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of negotiation and said it was “so easy to do.”
Last year, Trump said the U.S. was saying “exactly the wrong thing” on the Russia-Ukraine war and that this could lead to World War 3.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect a change in paragraph 4. The quote should be attributed to Trump, not Putin.
Read Next: 'Black Swan' Author Says Biden's Walk Through Kyiv Streets 'Worst Humiliation' For Putin
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