DONALD Trump accused Vladimir Putin of “destroying Russia” with his failed war as he urged him to make a deal to end the bloody conflict.
The new US president warned the Kremlin dictator that his so-called “special military operation” is wrecking the Russian economy and came close to calling him a loser.
APPresident Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017[/caption]
ReutersDespot Putin has waged war in Ukraine for years[/caption]
ReutersUkrainian capital Kyiv is hit by a Russian airstrike[/caption]
Soon after taking office, Trump said: “He has to make a deal. I think he is destroying Russia by not making a deal.
“I think Russia is going to be in big trouble. He can’t be thrilled that he’s not doing so well.
“I mean, he’s grinding it out, but most people thought the war would be over in about a week, and now it’s been three years, right?”
It comes after Putin publicly called on the Maga leader to avoid WW3 when he told his security council: “We hear [Trump’s] statements on the need to prevent World War III.
“We undoubtedly welcome such a disposition and congratulate the elected US president.”
Trump, 78, warned the blood-soaked despot that spiralling inflation posed a major threat to his people.
Putin, 72, earlier said he was ready to engage with Trump but still insisted on an outcome that would favour Russia.
He said: “We are open to dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict.
“The most important thing here is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis.”
GettyUkrainian rescue services work at the site of a Russian ballistic missile in Kyiv[/caption]
Trump said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for a deal to halt the conflict
Trump pledged to speak to Putin “very quickly” after taking office and an initial phone call is expected to take place soon.
The president said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was ready for a deal to halt the conflict which has left around one million dead and wounded in 35 months.
And he spoke of the “great relationship” he had with Putin during his first term.
He said: “We’re going to try to do it as quickly as possible. You know, the war between Russia and Ukraine should never have started.”
Trump joked about his campaign promise to end the conflict in 24 hours on his inauguration day, laughing: “That’s only half a day. I have the other half of the day. We’ll see.”
His new Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration could not put a timeline on ending the war but aides say they may need months to find “a solution.”
Meanwhile despots Putin and Xi Jinping doubled down on their close ties as they discussed how to respond to Trump’s second term.
They spoke on a video call hours after the American leader was inaugurated on Monday.
Putin waved to Xi, who he sees as one of his most prominent allies.
He called on Xi to deepen their cooperation with the arrival of Trump.
“These ties are self-sufficient, do not depend on domestic political factors and the current global situation,” he claimed.
As well as applying pressure to Putin, Trump has taken a hard stance on China in the past, threatening Xi with tariffs from Washington.
“I agree with you that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is based on a broad commonality of national interests and a convergence of views on what relations between major powers should be,” Putin told Xi.
“We build our ties on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support, equality and mutual benefit.”
The private part of the call may have gone into more detail on how they plan to respond to a Trump presidency.
Ahead of his return to office, Trump held a call with Xi – but not Putin.
Just two days before Trump took office Putin held a summit with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Moscow.
Both autocratic regimes are set to sign a comprehensive 20-year Russia-Iran agreement, including provisions for closer defence cooperation and a deepening of their military ties.
The alliance could also see both nations join their military forces.
The strategic deal against the West comes amid Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Ukraine where he signed a historic 100-year pact with Kyiv.
While Moscow and Tehran say their increasingly close ties are not directed against other countries, the Russian military has made extensive use of Iranian drones during the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldiers fire towards Russian troops in Zaporizhzhia region
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meet in Moscow, Russia Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
