Rep Mike Turner says Trump is ‘on the side of peace’ in Russia-Ukraine war

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said President Donald Trump is firmly “on the side of peace” when it comes to the grinding war between Russia and Ukraine.

Appearing on ABC’s 'This Week' on Sunday, December 28, Turner laid out where he believes the United States stands in a war now nearing its fourth year.

“America, when we address the issue of whose side we’re on, you can’t be America first and be pro-Russia,” Turner said. “Russia is a self-declared adversary of the United States, and here they are mercilessly killing Ukrainians and trying to take Ukrainian land.”

The 65-year-old Republican noted that Ukraine’s demands are focused on survival and sovereignty, not conquest.

The country, he said, is “asking for security assurances for the future to have their sovereignty, to have a future. Obviously, we need to be on the side of what they want, which is sovereignty. They’re on the side of democracy, liberty, and Russia’s on the side of authoritarianism and aggression.”

Mike Turner says Trump's sense of wanting peace is incredibly important

ABC host Jonathan Karl then pressed Turner directly on Trump’s position.

“Which side is Trump on?” Karl asked.

“You know, clearly, Trump is on the side of peace,” Turner replied. “And he’s trying to balance these two forces — which is very, very difficult to bring these two parties together.”

Karl followed up with another question. “Trump has repeatedly said that Ukraine never should have started this war or words to that effect,” he said. “I mean, Ukraine didn’t start this war! They were invaded. So, how does that affect his effort to try to broker a peace deal?”

Turner agreed with the basic premise that Russia launched the invasion, but wouldn't directly rebuke Trump’s language.

"Clearly, it’s a war of aggression started by Russia — and it has been started by Russia,” Turner said. “And I think that Trump’s sense of wanting peace is incredibly important, and I think it’s a noble goal. And I think we’re getting closer."

"I think that Zelensky is coming with a plan that is workable and that could get us there. And hopefully, with our allies in Europe that have come together — which they seem to be working and advancing the type of security assurances we’re going to need with the United States, that hopefully, we can deter Russia in the future,” the Ohio politician noted. 

Trump floats Ukraine trip, land concessions

Turner’s comments came as Trump himself suggested he would be willing to go directly to Ukraine to help close a deal, even if that meant pushing Kyiv to give up territory.

On Sunday, Trump said he would consider traveling to Ukraine to persuade its parliament to concede land to Russia in a bid to end the war, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump declared that peace was “closer than ever before.”

The two leaders held a wide-ranging lunch meeting at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday afternoon, discussing how to end what Trump described as “the biggest war, certainly the deadliest war, since World War II.”

Asked at a post-summit press conference whether he would actually go to Ukraine, Trump said, “I’d have no problem with doing it.”

“I don’t anticipate it. I would like to get the deal done and not necessarily have to go,” the POTUS added.

Still, Trump made clear the option remains on the table. 

“I’ve offered to go and speak to their parliament,” Trump said, specifically referring to the potential need for Ukraine to concede parts of the Donbas region to Russia.