Donald Trump

Trump says he's pleased by Putin's praise: ‘I like that he said that'

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said he was "happy" to hear Trump's promise to "resolve all burning issues within several days" — including the war in Ukraine

FILE - Donald Trump at the Monument Leaders Rally on Sept. 8, 2023, in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Scott Olson/Getty Images (File)

Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that he appreciated recent praise from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. In an exclusive interview with NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, Trump said it meant "what I'm saying is right," referring to his positions on the war in Ukraine.

Trump readily claimed in the interview that if re-elected president, he would resolve the war within 24 hours, though he provided few details about how he would end a conflict that has dragged on for more than 18 months. The former president has asserted several times that he could quickly end the war.

"If I tell you exactly, I lose all my bargaining chips. I mean, you can’t really say exactly what you’re going to do. But I would say certain things to Putin. I would say certain things to Zelenskyy," he said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Putin, Russia's longtime leader, said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, last week that he had heard "that Mr. Trump says he will resolve all burning issues within several days, including the Ukrainian crisis. We cannot help but feel happy about it."

Read the full story at NBCNews.com.

Contact Us