If anyone can bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the table to discuss peace in Ukraine, President Donald Trump is the man to do it, according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Tuberville told radio host John Catsimatidis on Sunday that Trump's negotiating skills may be able to overcome how Ukraine, NATO and former President Joe Biden empowered Putin with their approach to the Ukraine-Russia war since it began in February 2022.
"This war has been handled so badly by the Ukrainians and by NATO and the United States that Putin has got a foot in the door in doing whatever he wants to do. Why would he want to negotiate with anybody?" Tuberville said on "The Cats Roundtable" on WABC 770 AM.
The former football coach at Auburn University then compared Putin to a coach whose team is winning by a large margin.
"Say it’s a football game and you’re [up] three touchdowns. Why would you want to do some kind of deal when you’re winning? The guy is winning," Tuberville said.
"President Trump has got his hands full trying to get Putin to the negotiating table. But I think he can do it because Putin has also got problems with his economy and his people. They’re tired of getting shot and killed and maimed."
In an interview with Russian state television Friday, Putin echoed Trump's claim the conflict in Ukraine could have been prevented had he been in the White House in 2022.
Putin also said Moscow is ready for talks with the U.S. on a broad range of issues. He praised Trump as a "clever and pragmatic man" who is focused on U.S. interests.
However, NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte recently warned Ukrainian leaders not to begin negotiations with Putin until they're in a better position militarily.
"At this moment, clearly, Ukraine is not there," Rutte told the European Parliament’s foreign affairs and defense committees, The Hill reported.
"Because they cannot, at this moment, negotiate from a position of strength. And we have to do more to make sure, by changing the trajectory of the conflict, that they can get to the position of strength."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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