Donald Trump calls Russian President Vladimir Putin 'smart' | Here's know why

Responding to a query of mediapersons, US President Donald Trump said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin anytime.

US President Donald Trump repeated that he expects to speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin very soon as he once again called for an end game in the nearly three-year-old Russian invasion of Ukraine, and claimed that the conflict would have never happened had he been the president.

"Russia never would have gone into Ukraine. I had a very strong understanding with Putin. That would have never, ever happened. He disrespected Biden. Very simple. He disrespects people. He's smart. He understands. He disrespected Biden," Trump said. 

Sanctions on Russia likely if Putin doesn't come to the negotiation table: Trump

Trump on Tuesday (January 21) said he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin anytime, but at the same time warned that he would likely impose sanctions on Russia if the latter does not come to the negotiations table on the issue of Ukraine.

"It sounds likely," Trump told media when asked if the US will impose additional sanctions on Russia if Putin doesn't come to the negotiation table.

War in Ukraine would have never happened if I were the president: US President Trump 

"The war should have never started. If you had a competent President, which you didn't, the war wouldn't have happened. The war in Ukraine would have never happened if I were the president," Trump said.

"Russia never would have gone into Ukraine. I had a very strong understanding with Putin. That would have never, ever happened. He disrespected Biden. Very simple. He disrespects people. He's smart. He understands. He disrespected Biden," Trump said.

"Also, the Middle East would have never happened because Iran was broke," he added.

Trump-Putin meeting

"Anytime they want, I'll meet. Millions of people are being killed. It's a vicious situation and they're now largely soldiers. A lot of people have been killed and the cities look like demolition sites," he said.

"The thing with Ukraine is that many more people died than what you're reporting. You're not reporting the real numbers, and I'm not blaming you for that. I'm blaming maybe our government for not wanting to release those numbers," Trump told media.

Asked if the US will continue sending weapons to Ukraine, or will he turn off the tap soon, Trump said he is looking into the matter.

"We'll look into that. We're talking to (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. We will talk with President Putin very soon, and we'll see how it all happens. We're going to look at it very soon," he said.

"One thing I do feel is that the European Union should pay a lot more than they're paying, because under Biden, I mean, we're in there for USD 200 billion more. Now it affects them. We have an ocean in between, right? The European Union should equal us. We're in there for USD 200 billion more than the European Union. I mean, what are we, stupid? I guess the answer is yes," the president said.

Zelensky wants peace in Ukraine: Trump 

Trump also said that Ukraine President Zelensky told him that he would like to have peace.

"He's told me that wants to have peace very strongly, but it takes two to tangle. We'll see what happens. Anytime they want, I'll meet. I'd like to see that end. Millions of people are being killed. It's a vicious situation," he said.