US President Donald Trump commented at a meeting with reporters at the White House on what it was like to negotiate with Vladimir Putin, Sky News reports, quoted by FOKUS.
"He's a very smart guy, he's a very cunning guy“, Trump told reporters.
"I've dealt with some really bad people, but I'll tell you, when it comes to this, I don't think he had any intention of ending this war.
"I think he wanted everything when I was elected, but we talked and I think we're going to have a deal.“
Trump continued his speech, commenting that if he hadn't been elected, "I believe Putin would have just kept going through Ukraine“.
Adding: "After a certain period of time, a lot of people would be killed."
As for his opinion on NATO, Trump said: "You can forget about it. That's probably why it all started," the media wrote.
Trump said the European Union was created to "screw up" the United States. He revealed his hostility towards the US's long-time partner as he detailed the new tariffs.
The month in which Trump returned to the White House was marked by growing friction in the Western bloc, with the US abruptly reversing course on support for Ukraine and Germany's likely next leader calling on Europe to seek defense independence from Washington, AFP reported, quoted by dariknews.bg
“Look, let's be honest, the European Union was created to screw the United States. That's its purpose and they've done a good job of that. But now I'm president,“ Trump said as he assembled his cabinet for the first time.
For decades, the US has welcomed European integration. It considered creating the EU in 1993 as a historic achievement in ending conflicts on a continent devastated by two world wars.
Trump applauded Britain when it left the bloc and pursued a tough “America First” policy, vowing to pursue his own self-interest above any abstract concepts of partnership.
During his cabinet meeting, Trump pointed out that the EU ”has really taken advantage of us”.
According to official US data, last year the country's trade deficit with the 27-member bloc amounted to 235.6 billion. dollars.
Asked if he had made a decision on the level of tariffs on the EU, Trump added: “We'll announce it very soon and it'll be 25%, roughly speaking“.
He said cars would be among the products that would be affected. It's grim news for Germany, whose export-driven economy is in slump.
Trump has also imposed tariffs on U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico, as well as rival China, citing issues including illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling.