Former U.S. President Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, describing it as a "genius" act, but insisted that such a crisis would never have occurred during his Republican administration. When asked during a radio interview about his opinion on Putin's recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, Trump remarked that he thought, while watching television, that "this is a genius move." He added, "Putin announces the independence of a large area of Ukraine; that's great."
Russia faced severe international backlash after Putin ordered his troops to enter Ukraine to "keep peace" in the breakaway regions, which came as tens of thousands of Russian soldiers amassed at the Ukrainian border, amid warnings of a full-scale Russian invasion. Trump contended that Putin's tactics were "smart," without elaborating further, and suggested that the United States could apply similar tactics at its border with Mexico.
Trump criticized the way his successor Joe Biden has handled the crisis in Ukraine in a separate statement, recalling the strong relationship he had with Putin, and asserting that the Kremlin leader would never have acted in this manner "ever" under his administration. He stated, "If I had managed the crisis properly, there would have been no reason for what is happening now in Ukraine," adding, "I know Vladimir Putin very well, and what he is doing now would never have happened under the Trump administration, it's impossible!"
The closeness between Trump and Putin was met with sharp criticism from the Democratic opposition during the previous Republican administration. Trump, the Republican billionaire, claimed that the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration are weak, stating, "They are insignificant compared to the seizure of a country and strategically located lands."
