(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Former U.S. President and presidential candidate Donald trump used his usual rhetoric about the need for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine in response to repeated questions about whether he believed a Ukraine victory would be in the U.S. interest.
He spoke during the presidential debate on Tuesday on ABC News, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.
"I want the war to stop. I want to save lives," Trump said in response to the host's direct question whether he would like Ukraine to win the war started by Russia.
At the same time, Trump referred to the official statistics of war casualties as“fake numbers”, saying that in this war "people (are) being killed by the millions."
Read also: Zelensky to pitch "Victory Plan" to Biden, Harris,
Trump
In addition, he accused President Joe Biden of lacking the courage to ask Europe to increase defense spending.
Trump repeatedly stated that, had he been president at the time, Putin would not have invaded Ukraine. He also noted he would resolve the conflict before becoming president if he won the election.
"I know Zelensky very well, and I know Putin very well. I have a good relationship... They respect me, they don't respect Biden," Trump said.
According to the presidential candidate, he would speak to both leaders to end the war.
The former U.S. president also emphasized that Russia has nuclear weapons and that the Kremlin can use them, while no one, he added, mentions this threat.
When the host again asked Trump directly whether he believed Ukraine's victory in the war was in the interests of the United States, the former president emphasized: "I think it is in the U.S. best interest to get this war finished, just get it done, negotiate a deal, because we have to stop all of these human lives from being destroyed".
As Ukrinform reported earlier, on Tuesday, a televised debate was aired between the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Kamala Harris, and that from the Republican Party, Donald Trump.
Photo: Getty Images
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