'Ukraine War Could Have Been Averted If Trump...': Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday (local time) that "the crisis in Ukraine" could have been avoided if former US President Donald Trump had been in power, expressing his willingness to discuss the conflict with him. 

Putin echoed Trump’s claim that the Ukraine war would not have happened during his presidency and also backed Trump’s allegation that the 2020 US election was "stolen."

"I can't help but agree with (Trump) that if his victory had not been stolen in 2020, then maybe there would not have been the crisis in Ukraine that arose in 2022," Putin said, ANI reported.

The Russian President further affirmed that Moscow has always been ready to negotiate on the Ukraine issue.

"As for the issue related to negotiations - we have always said, and I will emphasize this once again, that we are ready for negotiations on the Ukrainian issue," he said.

Trump has said in the past that he would end the war in Ukraine in "one day", but later gave his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg 100 days to find a solution.

Trump's new administration has yet to present a concrete plan for achieving peace in Ukraine. However, Trump stated this week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed interest in making a deal and suggested that Putin should also be willing to seek a solution, as per the ANI reports citing CNN.

"So, I think Russia should want to make a deal. Maybe they want to make a deal. I think from what I hear, Putin would like to see me. We'll meet as soon as we can. I'd meet immediately. Every day we don't meet soldiers are being killed in a battlefield," Trump said on Thursday, ANI reported.

(With ANI inputs)