US President Donald Trump on Friday admitted that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he, as a candidate in the run-up to the US presidential election, claimed that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours.
Almost two months into his presidency as his administration is still trying to broker a solution in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump on Friday admitted that he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he promised as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours and even before he even took office.
Trump, who is set to complete two months in office in his second term as the president, said, “Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump said in a clip released ahead of the episode airing Sunday.
“What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled, and I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful,” Trump added.
In May 2023, Trump said at a CNN town hall, “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done—I will have that done in 24 hours.”
In a debate with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in September last year, Trump had reiterated, “I will get it settled before I even become president,” as he added, “If I win, when I’m president-elect, and what I’ll do is I’ll speak to one, I’ll speak to the other. I’ll get them together.”
The Republican repeated the claim frequently on the campaign trail. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Moscow this week for talks on a US-proposed ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted.
In the interview, Trump was also asked what the plan would be if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire to the war he started three years ago.
“Bad news for this world because so many people are dying,” Trump said. “But I think, I think he’s going to agree. I really do. I think I know him pretty well, and I think he’s going to agree,” Trump added.
(With inputs from AP)
