President Trump said on Sunday he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he pledged to end the war between Ukraine and Russia in 24 hours.
In a Sunday broadcast of “Full Measure,” Trump was pressed on his campaign promise to end the war in less than a day.
“Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump responded. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled, and I think I’ll be successful.”
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump frequently said he would “solve” the war in 24 hours if the American people elected him to a second term.
“If it’s not solved, I will have it solved in 24 hours with Zelensky and with Putin,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity nearly two years ago, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“And there’s a very easy negotiation to take place. But I don’t want to tell you what it is because then I can’t use that negotiation; it’ll never work. But it’s a very easy negotiation to take place. I will have it solved within one day, a peace between them. Now that’s a year and a half. That’s a long time. I can’t imagine something not happening,” Trump added at the time. “The key is the war has to stop now because Ukraine is being obliterated.”
Trump has prioritized efforts to negotiate an end to the war since entering the White House nearly two months ago, but the war remains ongoing.
In the Sunday interview, Trump was asked whether he has been talking to Putin, and whether he has done so “in the last days or hours” and whether he has done so “personally.”
“Well, I don’t want to say it, but we are dealing with him, and I think, I think it’s going reasonably well,” Trump responded.
“It’s a very complex situation, you know. It’s a bloody, terrible war. And I do think it’s going well,” he added.
Trump noted that Ukrainians have agreed to a ceasefire framework and said he was optimistic about Russia agreeing as well.
“We have a ceasefire agreement with the Ukrainian group, and we are trying to get that with Russia too. And I think thus far it’s gone OK. We’ll know a little bit more on Monday, and that’ll be hopefully good,” Trump said.
On what Trump’s plan is if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire, Trump said, “Bad news for this world because so many people are dying.”
“But I think, I think he’s going to agree. I really do. I think I know him pretty well, and I think he’s going to agree,” Trump added.
