Donald Trump claims his pledge to end the Ukraine war within a day of becoming president was 'said in jest' as US envoy flies to Moscow and tells Putin: 'So good to see you'
Donald Trump has claimed his promise to end the Ukraine war within a day of becoming President was made 'in jest'.
The US leader's astonishing climbdown from one of his central campaign promises came as his special envoy was welcomed with open arms by Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday.
Steve Witkoff, who has yet to travel to Kyiv, touched down for his fourth meeting with the Russian dictator.
He beamed as he shook hands with Putin and told the dictator it was 'so good to see you' before they sat down for three hours of talks.
But efforts to secure a ceasefire were still stalled last night, with the Kremlin only remarking the meeting had been 'constructive'.
Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the conversation 'made it possible to bring the parties' positions closer together not only on the Ukrainian issue, but also on a number of other international topics'.
The meeting took place as Time magazine published an interview with Mr Trump which included his U-turn on the previous promise to end the war within a day of entering the White House.
'I said that figuratively, and I said that as an exaggeration, because to make a point.' he said. 'Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended.'
Donald Trump (pictured yesterday) has claimed his promise to end the Ukraine war within a day of becoming president was made 'in jest'
The US leader's astonishing climbdown from one of his central campaign promises came as his special envoy Steve Witkoff was welcomed with open arms by Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday
His remarks came as the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday laid flowers (pictured) at the site of a residential building that had been destroyed by a Russian missile strike
He appeared irritated when asked why negotiations were taking so long, adding: 'Well, I don't think it's long. I mean, look, I got here three months ago.
'This war has been going on for three years. It's a war that would have never happened if I was president. It's Biden's war. It's not my war.'
He also suggested Kyiv was to blame for Russia's invasion in 2022. Ukraine's desire to join Nato 'caused the war to start', he said. 'If that weren't brought up, there would have been a much better chance that it wouldn't have started,' he added.
Mr Trump also repeated his assertion that 'Crimea will stay with Russia'.
His remarks came as the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday laid flowers at the site of a residential building that had been destroyed by a Russian missile strike.
Thursday's attack on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv killed at least 12 people in one of the deadliest missile assaults on the beleaguered country's capital. The event was attended by representatives of more than 50 diplomatic missions.
Mr Zelensky thanked rescuers of the state emergency service and police officers. 'This is a real service – the protection of Ukrainian life,' he told them.
And responding to Mr Trump's comments last night, Mr Zelensky said: 'Our position is unchanged – only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian.'
Thursday's attack on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv (pictured) killed at least 12 people in one of the deadliest missile assaults on the beleaguered country's capital
He added: 'The constitution of Ukraine says that all the temporarily occupied territories... belong to Ukraine, to the Ukrainian people.'
Mr Zelensky said conversations about 'territorial issues' could take place after 'a full and unconditional ceasefire'.
'What President Trump says is true, and I agree with him in that today we do not have enough weapons to return control over the Crimean peninsula,' he added.
The US President yesterday claimed all sides were 'pretty close' to a deal but said there was 'no deadline' and admitted talks were 'fragile'.
Washington is desperately pushing to gain some form of ceasefire to mark Mr Trump's first 100 days as US President on April 30, while Putin wants to celebrate his military prowess in time for the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Hitler's Germany on May 9.
In a sign of the changing political mood, the Nato secretary general's report for 2024 does not contain any wording to suggest that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance in the future.
The previous year's report said membership was still being considered.
Yesterday British and European MPs called on President Trump not to 'repeat the mistakes of Munich in 1938' and called for an end to the US 'policy of appeasement'.
A joint statement by the foreign affairs committee chairmen of seven European parliaments rebuffed US proposals to grant formal recognition of Moscow's control of Crimea. 'There can be no compromise and no external pressure on Ukraine regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity,' the statement said.
Among the signatories were Emily Thornberry, the Labour MP, and the foreign affairs committee chairmen of Ukraine, France, the Czech Republic and the three Baltic states.
