President Trump Says He Doesn't Hold Zelensky Responsible For Russia-Ukraine War But 'I'm Not A Big Fan'

Forbes Breaking News

In his Oval Office meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but said he didn't blame him for the Russia-Ukraine War, which Russia started.

Transcript

00:00Oh, you have a great Prime Minister, you're so lucky.

00:07In Italian?

00:09Yes, that's right.

00:10Okay.

00:11I'm not sure they do agree.

00:12President Meloni, I would like to know what you think of the fact that President Trump

00:17is considered the responsible Zelensky of the Ukraine.

00:20And then, if you have talked about the military expenses,

00:23what are the maximum limits you have said that you want to live in Italy

00:27the percentual of the military expenses?

00:29We have talked about the military expenses,

00:32we have talked about the fact that Italy is...

00:45...but we have talked about how much this percentual is,

00:51even if we are aware that the defense is particularly important in this time.

00:56For what regarding the Ukraine, I don't know exactly what I think.

00:59I think that there is an invasion of Putin and Russia,

01:01but it is not what we are saying.

01:02I think that there is an invasion of Putin and Russia,

01:05but it is not what we are saying.

01:07It is not what we are saying.

01:09It is not what we are saying.

01:10It is not what we are saying.

01:12It is not what we are saying.

01:13It is not what we are saying.

01:14It is not what we are saying.

01:15It is not what we are saying.

01:16It was about...

01:17It was beautifully presented, but maybe I could hear what she said.

01:47Go ahead.

01:49Guys, have some respect, please.

01:53No, no, wait.

01:54I want to hear what she said.

01:57Go ahead.

01:59President – Prime Minister Maloney was asked whether – what she thinks about the fact

02:04that President Trump holds Zelensky responsible for the war in Ukraine.

02:11And Prime Minister Maloney answered, well, actually we have – and also you talked about the military spending,

02:25how – and the raising of the military spending.

02:28And the first thing Prime Minister Maloney said is that no, actually we didn't talk about the raise

02:35and military spending.

02:36Of course, Italy will keep its commitments with 2%, and then we will see because we are absolutely

02:43aware of the fact that it is very important to – the defense is very important.

02:48I will do that.

02:49I will do that.

02:50I will do that.

02:51I will do that.

02:52They have been asking if we raise – if we decided another defense percentage about the

02:55defense spending.

02:56Right.

02:57NATO.

02:58And I said – yes, NATO.

02:59And I said that Italy is reaching the 2% as it was already decided.

03:05We didn't speak about the specific other percentage, but we are aware of the fact that defense is

03:12important for the future, and we see also the war that we are trying to do at the European

03:18level.

03:19And I don't hold – I don't hold Zelensky responsible.

03:23No.

03:24But I'm not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started.

03:29That was a war that would have never started if I were President.

03:32You'd have millions of people living right now that are dead.

03:35You'd have cities that would be open and thriving, and they'd have their beautiful

03:39terrorists.

03:40Those terrorists are the most beautiful in the world, but they're not with us any

03:44longer.

03:45They're smashed to smithereens laying on the ground in a million pieces, getting hit by

03:50rockets, bombs, and bullets.

03:53And so I'm not happy with him, and I'm not happy with anybody involved.

03:58I think it's a war.

03:59I know it's a war.

04:00It didn't happen for four years.

04:02It was never close to happening.

04:03It was never even a thought.

04:05And I spoke to President Putin about it a lot.

04:07It was the apple of his eye, but there's no way he would have ever gone in if I were

04:11President.

04:12Now I'm trying to get him to stop because, as you know, Russia's a lot bigger.

04:19It's a bigger military force.

04:20It's a bigger military force.

04:22And if you're smart, you don't go involved and get involved in wars that you could blame

04:29the man that was sitting in this seat, Biden.

04:31He didn't know what the hell was going on.

04:33But I can guarantee you that, and everybody agrees to it, if I were President, that war would

04:38have never taken place.

04:39I'm not blaming him.

04:40But what I am saying is that I wouldn't say he's done the greatest job.

04:45Okay?

04:46I'm not a big fan.

04:47I really am.

04:48I'm not a big fan.

04:49I'm not a big fan.

04:50I'm not a big fan.

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