The Vanguard Newspaper, through its official X handle, has reported a striking comment by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who suggested that the 2022 crisis in Ukraine might never have unfolded if Donald Trump had been the President of the United States.
In a statement aired on state television, Putin implied that Trump’s leadership style and foreign policies might have steered global events differently, potentially preventing Moscow’s full-scale military offensive against Ukraine.
“I cannot but agree with him that if he had been president — if his victory hadn’t been stolen in 2020 — then maybe there would not have been the crisis in Ukraine that emerged in 2022,” Putin said, hinting at his alignment with Trump’s contested claims of election fraud.
Putin’s remark adds a provocative dimension to the ongoing discourse surrounding the geopolitical dynamics between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. While critics have long accused Trump of being soft on Russia, others argue that his direct and unconventional diplomatic tactics may have deterred aggressive maneuvers by Moscow.
The statement underscores the Kremlin’s view of a deepening divide in U.S. political leadership and highlights how Russia’s interpretation of Trump’s presidency remains entwined with its broader strategy on the global stage.
As the war in Ukraine grinds on, with devastating humanitarian and economic consequences, Putin’s comments raise questions about how different leadership in Washington could have influenced—or even averted—the trajectory of the conflict.
This development is likely to spark fresh debates among political analysts and leaders worldwide, as the intersection of diplomacy, military strategy, and leadership continues to shape the evolving narrative of global security.