U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes he is "saving" Ukraine, though he dodged a question about supplying weapons to the war-torn country in an interview with the Atlantic published April 28.
Trump on April 24 sat down with Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg — who in March revealed that top U.S. defense officials disclosed war plans in a Signal chat — for a conversation about his first 100 days in office.
One of Trump's goals for his first 100 days was to end Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine. In recent days, however, the Trump administration has threatened to walk away from the peace negotiations altogether.
"I think I'm saving that nation," Trump said, referring to Ukraine.
"I think that nation will be crushed very shortly. It's a big war machine. ... I think I'm doing a great service to Ukraine. I believe that."
When told that Ukrainians do not necessarily share that perspective, Trump insisted again that the full-scale invasion would not have happened if he had won the 2020 U.S. election — a claim Trump makes repeatedly when pressed on his Ukraine-Russia policy, often in lieu of discussing current or future assistance to Kyiv.
Trump also reiterated his threats to abandon the peace process if upcoming talks don't yield the results the U.S. is expecting.
"We'll have to see what happens over the next period of pretty much a week. We're down to final strokes," he said.
"And again, this is (former U.S. President Joe) Biden's war. I'm not gonna get saddled — I don't wanna be saddled with it. It's a terrible war. Should have never happened. It would've never happened, as sure as you’re sitting there."
Trump claimed he was "on Ukraine's side" but drew a distinction between supporting Ukraine and supporting President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I've had a hard time with Zelensky," Trump said, bringing up the leaders' infamous Oval Office argument in February.
Trump's comments on Zelensky came two days before the leaders met face-to-face in the Vatican following the funeral of the late Pope Francis. While the meeting was brief, both sides said the discussion was productive and constructive. Afterwards, Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to attack Ukrainian cities.
When asked by Goldberg if continued escalation from Moscow would lead to the U.S. shipping weapons to Kyiv, Trump did not give a direct answer, suggesting other forms of pressure on Russia.
"Doesn't have to be weapons," he said.
"There are many forms of weapons. Doesn't have to be weapons with bullets. It can be weapons with sanctions. It can be weapons with banking. It can be many other weapons."
Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose tougher sanctions against Russia, but has not followed through on those threats.
Chris York
(Updated: )
