Trump Praises Putin Hours After Threatening Russia With Sanctions And What He Said Is Shocking (Video)

President Donald Trump made headlines on Friday for his mixed messaging regarding Russia and its ongoing war with Ukraine. In the morning, Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he was “strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia” until a ceasefire and peace agreement were reached. He urged both Russia and Ukraine to negotiate, stating, “Get to the table right now, before it is too late.”

This statement was notable because Trump has often directed his criticism toward Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, rather than Russia and Vladimir Putin. However, by the afternoon, Trump had shifted his tone, praising Putin during an interview. When asked why other European countries weren’t offering a peace deal, Trump called it a “very good question” and suggested that he knew how to end the war. He emphasized his “good relationship” with Putin, claiming that the Russian leader “wants to end the war” and might be “more generous than he has to be.”

Trump also implied that the war could have been avoided if he were still in office, stating, “It didn’t start for four years… I used to speak to Vladimir about it at length.” He suggested that the conflict, along with other global issues like inflation and tensions in the Middle East, would not have occurred under his leadership. Trump also hinted at upcoming developments with Iran, saying, “We’re down to final strokes with Iran.”

This back-and-forth reflects Trump’s complex and often contradictory stance on Russia and its actions in Ukraine. While he has occasionally criticized Russia, he has also consistently praised Putin and suggested that he could negotiate a better outcome than current leaders. His comments continue to fuel debate about his approach to foreign policy and his relationship with the Russian president.