‘I know Putin...,’ Trump avoids backing Ukraine against Russia during presidential debate

US former president Donald Trump on Tuesday (Sep 11) avoided directly addressing a question on whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war against Russia. While speaking at the presidential debate alongside Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, Trump didn’t respond to the question and just said, “I want the war to stop.”

He stressed that people were killed “by the millions” in the war, without mentioning who he thought the aggressor was.

‘Will negotiate a deal’

Trump reiterated that he would strike a peace deal in Ukraine even before becoming president, saying the US was “playing with World War Three.”

“I'll get the war with Ukraine and Russia ended. If I'm president-elect, I'll get it done before even becoming president,” Trump said.

Also read: Trump targets Kamala Harris’ height in bizarre post ahead of debate

He added that there was no threat of war during his term, from 2017 to 2021.

"I know (Russian President Vladimir) Putin very well. He would have never -- and there was no threat of it either, by the way, for four years -- gone into Ukraine and killed millions of people when you add it up...,” he said, blaming the war on the Biden-Harris administration.

Kamala counters, says Putin would be sitting in Kyiv

Kamala Harris claimed that had Trump been president, “Putin would be sitting in Kyiv with his eyes on the rest of Europe”.

“Why don’t you tell the 800,000 Polish Americans right here in Pennsylvania how quickly you would give up for the sake of favour and what you think is a friendship with what is known to be a dictator who would eat you for lunch,” Kamala Harris said.

Trump’s remarks on Tuesday refreshed concerns that a Trump 2.0 administration would cut off military and economic aid to Kyiv, leading to a Russian victory.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Trump has been sceptical of the US military aid given to Ukraine. 

(With inputs from agencies)