This praise is more than bizarre, even by Trump standards. In a radio interview, former US President Donald Trump called Putin’s aggression in Ukraine “clever” and “brilliant”. The White House countered coldly.
“Brilliant”, “smart”, “savvy”: Former US President Donald Trump caused a stir with unusual praise for the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. In a radio interview on Tuesday, Trump described Putin’s announcement that he would recognize the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine and send soldiers to the region as “brilliant”. The Russian President is “smart” and “savvy”.
In an interview with conservative radio and podcast presenters Buck Sexton and Clay Travis, the 75-year-old Republican described how he had watched Putin’s speech recognizing the self-proclaimed “People’s Republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk on television the day before. “I said, ‘This is awesome.’ Putin declares a large part of Ukraine independent. Oh, that’s wonderful.”
“I said, ‘How smart is that?'” Trump said. Referring to Putin’s announcement that Russian soldiers should “keep the peace” in eastern Ukraine, the ex-president said: “It’s the strongest peacekeeping force I’ve ever seen. There were more tanks than I’ve ever seen. “
The United States could use such a peacekeeping force on its southern border, Trump added in a subordinate clause – a reference to the arrival of numerous migrants from Central America at the US-Mexico border. Right-wing populist Trump had taken a hard line in refugee and immigration policy in the White House; the construction of a border wall with Mexico was one of his prestige projects.
Trump: “It would never have happened with us”
Trump, whom critics accused of being too close to Putin during his term in office, also described the Russian president as “very savvy” in the interview. “I know him very well. Very, very well.”
Trump also said that if he and not his successor Joe Biden were president today, the escalation of the Ukraine crisis would never have happened. “That would never have happened with us. If I were in office, it would be unthinkable.” Biden has “no concept”.
The fact that Trump, in the midst of a serious crisis with Putin, praised the authoritarian head of state of the historic rival of the USA quickly caused stunned comments on social networks. Biden’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki reacted extremely coolly: “We’re not trying to take advice from someone who praises President Putin and his military strategy,” she said when asked by journalists about Trump’s statements.
Putin’s announcements had met with harsh international condemnation and raised fears of a bloody war in Europe. The US and the European Union responded on Tuesday with sanctions against Russia.
Source: Stern
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