Trump says Putin not seeking to attack NATO territory

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he does not believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to attack NATO territory, adding that envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are expected to travel to Moscow with a proposal aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Asked about the possibility of Russia attacking NATO territory, Trump said he knew Putin well and did not believe the Russian leader intended to launch such an attack.

“I don’t think that Putin will be. I speak to him. I know him very well. Putin’s not looking to attack NATO territory,” Trump said.

Trump also said Kushner and Witkoff would travel to Moscow not with new proposals, but with a proposal aimed at ending the war.

“They’re bringing with them a proposal to end the war,” Trump said, referring to the two negotiators.

He attributed part of the difficulty in reaching a settlement to the personal relationship between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“It’s a personality problem in Russia-Ukraine. You have President Zelensky and President Putin. They truly hate each other,” Trump said.

Trump said he had sent Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow to determine whether progress could be made toward ending the conflict.

“They’re two great negotiators. They’ve done a great job,” Trump said, adding that “there may be a good chance” of reaching an agreement.

news_share_description subscription_contact