President Donald Trump acknowledged that his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin did not produce the peace deal he had hoped for in Ukraine.
“I thought I had it done,” Trump told The Daily Caller in an interview published Saturday. He met with Putin earlier this month in Alaska for negotiations aimed at ending hostilities. While Trump claimed the two discussed a “peace agreement,” no public resolution has emerged.
Trump said Putin is unlikely to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon. “We’re not talking about something that I started. I inherited this war. And all I’m trying to do is put out the flame,” he said, adding that he has previously “done it with wars that were tougher than this.”
Trump highlighted his claimed success in ending longer conflicts and has publicly campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize in recent months. During the interview, he reiterated that no U.S. troops would be deployed to Ukraine but said he might provide air support.
Trump declined to clarify a major point of disagreement from the summit but emphasized his “good relationship” with Putin. “That’s why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting — stupidly, keep fighting,” he said.
The comments mark one of Trump’s rare admissions that a diplomatic effort under his watch fell short, while still portraying himself as a potential peacemaker on the international stage.
