Putin's 'not doing so well,' says Trump in unusually critical remarks on Kremlin leader

Source: CNN

His inauguration speech was loudest in its silence on Ukraine. But hours later, US President Donald Trump laid bare – in a trademark casual, rambling fashion – his position over the war in Ukraine. And it was tougher on the Kremlin than you might expect.

Talking to reporters in the White House, he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin: “He should make a deal. I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal.”

Trump was unprecedentedly stark, focusing on the economic damage done to Russia by the war. “I think Russia is going to be in big trouble. You take a look at their economy. You take a look at their inflation in Russia,” he added, referring to price rises edging towards 10%. “I got along with him great. I would hope he wants to make a deal.”

“He can’t be thrilled,” Trump said of Putin. “He’s not doing so well. I mean, he’s grinding it out… it’s not making him look very good… I think he would be well off to end that war.”

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/21/europe/analysis-trump-putin-ukraine-intl-latam/index.html