'It's possible' — Trump on Putin's territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine
Speaking at a NATO press conference in The Hague on June 25, U.S. President Donald Trump said it was possible Russia could target other countries beside Ukraine.
When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine, Trump replied, “it’s possible."
“I know one thing: He (Putin) would like to settle (the war). He’d like to get out of this thing. It’s a mess for him,” he added.
Foreign officials and EU diplomats have increasingly called for the preparation for a potential full-scale conflict between NATO and Russia.
Trump’s remarks came days after President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine’s intelligence has proof that Russia is preparing new military operations in Europe and just a week after Putin declared “all of Ukraine is ours."
During The Hague summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on alliance members to be realistic about the threats posed by Russia and China.
While Trump appeared to downplay concerns about Putin’s threat, he later said that the Russian leader “really has to end that war” against Ukraine. During his speech, he also referred to Russia’s all-out war as a “crisis,” a term used by some Russian allies but criticized by Kyiv.
“I consider him (Putin) a person I think is misguided,” Trump said.
The U.S. leader said his June 25 meeting with Zelensky, which preceded the briefing, “couldn’t have been nicer."
“I think it’s a great time to end it (war). I’m going to speak to Vladimir Putin, see if we can get it ended,” Trump said. “He (Zelensky) is fighting a brave battle, it’s a tough battle."
Separately, Trump acknowledged that Ukraine wants to receive Patriot missiles, saying that the U.S. is going to see “if we can make some available."
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians.
Despite Kyiv’s appeals, Trump has dismissed the request, accusing Zelensky of “always looking to purchase missiles” and falsely blaming Ukraine for provoking the war.
The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir