Trump calls US' Ukraine-Russia diplomacy a humanitarian effort: 'Not about the money'

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, MARYLAND: President Donald Trump spoke about the Ukraine-Russia war and Greenland while returning to Joint Base Andrews.

Trump emphasized that efforts to ease tensions between Ukraine and Russia are 'not about the money'. 

He was speaking about his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a gaggle with the press.

Trump speaks on mediation in Ukraine-Russia war

Trump said that millions of lives being at stake is what motivated the conversation about the Ukraine-Russia conflict. 

"I'm not doing it so much for you [US]. It doesn't affect us very much, other than the waste of lives[...]You know, we're not affected by this. Thousands of miles away, we're separated by an ocean." 

"I've had numerous conversations on Ukraine. And it'd be nice to end that war. You know, it costs nothing. We make money. I don't want to make money, but we make money."

"Whereas Biden spent 350 billion dollars stupidly, it lost a lot of money. But it's not about the money, it's about 25-30,000 soldiers, mostly soldiers, killed right now," Trump said

While the US is not directly involved in the war, he said it is helping on a humanitarian level.

Trump further explained his rationale for involvement, saying, "For me, I'm doing it to save lives— number one. Secondarily, for Europe."  

He emphasized once more, "I hope we can save a lot of lives."

He boasted about ending wars that have gone on for years in a matter of mere days, but acknowledged the challenge in ending the Ukraine-Russia war.

"You know, I put out a 35-year war in a day, and this one goes on and on forever."  

Trump drags Joe Biden 

The Republican blamed former President Joe Biden for many of the difficulties in Ukraine-Russia diplomacy.

"Good meetings with President Zelensky," he said before attacking Biden administration.

"It's all good. Anytime we meet, it's good. If you don't meet, nothing's gonna happen. Every day? For the first three years, nobody met. During Biden's time, nobody met. And, you know, one thing: if you don't meet, nothing's going to happen. So we are meeting, and we'll see what happens."

 When asked, what kind of concessions does Russian President Vladimir Putin is making, Trump said,  "Everybody's making concessions to get it done. Europe is a part of it; it's got to be a part of it." 

Ukraine-Russia-US officials hold talks in UAE

Officials from Ukraine, the United States and Russia met in Abu Dhabi on Friday, January 23. The two-day talks, announced earlier, aimed to advance efforts to resolve Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Russian delegation was led by Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) Chief Admiral Igor Olegovich Kostyukov, according to Ushakov. 

“I can add that our delegation has just received specific instructions from the Russian President, taking into account all the details of today’s conversation with the Americans,” Ushakov said as per CNN News.