WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS
The American president said in an exclusive phone interview for the BBC that he is disappointed, but that he hasn’t given up on Putin.
U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked by the BBC whether he trusts Russian leader Vladimir Putin, replied: “I trust almost no one.”
Trump spoke just hours after announcing plans to send weapons to Ukraine and warned of harsh tariffs against Russia if no ceasefire agreement is reached within 50 days.
In an extensive interview from the Oval Office, Trump also expressed support for NATO, which he previously described as outdated, and confirmed his support for the principle of collective defense of the organization.
The call to the BBC, which lasted 20 minutes, was made by Trump after discussions about a potential interview marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on him during the campaign in Butler, Pennsylvania.
When asked whether that attempt had changed him, Trump said he prefers not to think about it much.
“I don’t like to think about whether it changed me,” Trump said, adding that too much reflection on it could be life-altering.
Following a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte at the White House, the president spoke at length in the interview about his disappointment in the Russian leader.
Trump said he believed four times that a deal with Russia was close.
When asked by the BBC whether he had given up on Putin, he replied: “I’m disappointed in him, but I haven’t given up. Still, I’m disappointed.”
Asked how he will get Putin to “stop the bloodshed,” Trump said: “We’re working on it, Gerry.”
“There will be good talks. I’ll say: ‘That’s good, I think we’re close to a deal,’ and then he blows up a building in Kyiv.”
The conversation then shifted to NATO, which Trump had previously criticized as “obsolete.”
When asked whether he still feels that way, he said: “No. Now I think NATO is quite the opposite of that,” because the alliance “is paying its bills.”
He still believes in collective defense, because it means smaller countries can defend themselves against bigger ones.
The president also answered a question about the future of the United Kingdom in the world, saying he thinks it’s “a great place – you know, I have properties there.”
He also spoke about looking forward to his second, never-before-seen, state visit to the UK in September this year.
When asked what he hopes to achieve during the visit, Trump replied: “To have a good time and to show respect to King Charles, because he’s a great gentleman.”
