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Putin claims the Ukraine crisis might have been avoided if Trump had won in 2020, emphasizing Russia’s openness to talks and critiquing US sanctions under Biden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested the Ukraine crisis of 2022 might not have occurred if Donald Trump had been reelected in 2020.
Speaking to Russia's Rossiya 1 TV channel, Putin said Russia remains open to peace talks on Ukraine and has never refused contact with the US administration, though the previous one chose not to engage.
Putin described his relationship with Trump as "strictly business-like, yet pragmatic and trust-based," adding, "I cannot but agree with him that if he had been president, if his victory had not been stolen from him in 2020, then maybe there would not have been the Ukraine crisis that broke out in 2022." He noted Trump had imposed many sanctions on Russia during his presidency, a decision Putin believes was not beneficial for either nation.
Putin criticized the Biden administration for imposing additional sanctions, arguing they weakened the US dollar’s global position. "We did not refuse to use the US dollar. The previous administration prevented us from using it as a unit of payment," he stated.
On Ukraine, Putin emphasized Russia's willingness for dialogue but highlighted obstacles, such as an executive order from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prohibiting talks. "How can talks be resumed now that they have been outlawed?" Putin asked, urging Ukraine's financial backers to pressure Zelenskyy to act.
Putin expressed hope for constructive engagement with the US on strategic stability, economic issues, and energy production, emphasizing mutual benefits from balanced energy prices. He remained skeptical about Trump’s earlier threats of additional sanctions, doubting Trump would harm the US economy.
"It makes sense for us to meet based on the realities of today... We are ready to do that. But, again, this, first of all, depends on the decisions and choices of the current US administration," Putin concluded.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
President Ilham Aliyev said 2025 has politically closed the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as a Trump-era reset in U.S. ties, new transport corridors and a push into AI, renewables and defence production reshape Azerbaijan’s priorities.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that had been followed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, following a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" on Venezuelan oil exports, according to two U.S. officials speaking to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to advance EU membership discussions and secure stricter sanctions on Russia during a meeting on Wednesday as Cyprus took over the European Union's rotating presidency.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Türkiye is considering draft legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from opening social-media accounts, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has said.
Türkiye is prepared to “assume responsibility” for the security of the Black Sea once a peace agreement is signed between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
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