Deadly NATO pledge, belief in Putin, and destroying BRICS: Essential points from Trump briefing
US President Trump addressed reporters on Thursday, providing additional insights and reflections on a recent phone conversation with his Russian counterpart. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
US President Donald Trump provided further insights into his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference in the Oval Office on Thursday evening. The conversation, which many had anticipated, covered a range of issues, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, NATO’s involvement, economic matters such as tariffs, and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding organizations like BRICS and the G8.
Key points from the briefing include:
**Biden’s Influence on Ukraine Conflict**
Trump held his predecessor, Joe Biden, responsible for the rise in tensions between Russia and Ukraine. He maintained that if he had remained in office, the conflict would not have escalated. Trump specifically pointed to Biden’s reference to Ukraine potentially joining NATO as a significant provocation that played a role in igniting the conflict.
“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” Trump stated. He insisted that Biden’s comments contributed directly to the outbreak of war, labeling them as “reckless” and “ill-conceived.”
**Continued Denial of NATO Membership for Ukraine**
Trump supported the views expressed by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership, asserting that they were “pretty accurate.” He dismissed a suggestion to retract Hegseth's comments, saying, “Somebody told me to, but I thought his comments were good yesterday. They’re probably good today.”
Hegseth had indicated that Ukraine's goal of reclaiming all lost territories was unrealistic, advocating instead for a negotiated peace and noting that NATO membership would not be part of any peace agreement.
**Upcoming US-Russia Meeting**
In the press conference, Trump announced preparations for a high-level meeting in Munich involving officials from the United States and Russia, with Ukraine also invited. “They’re having a meeting in Munich, tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people. Ukraine is also invited,” he explained. Trump expressed a willingness to meet Putin in person, possibly in Saudi Arabia, although he acknowledged that it was “a little early” to finalize such arrangements.
**Trust in Putin**
Clarifying his stance on Putin, Trump expressed confidence in the Russian leader's desire for peace: “I believe that President Putin, when I spoke to him yesterday… I think he wants peace.” He criticized the Biden administration for failing to act sooner to defuse tensions before they escalated into conflict.
“I trust him on this subject. I think he’d like to see something happen,” Trump asserted, adding that this situation “should never have been allowed to happen” in the first place.
**Critique of BRICS**
During the conference, Trump discussed his new tariff plan aimed at leveling the playing field for American goods. He labeled India as one of the most protectionist economies, targeting countries that erect high import duties. Additionally, he criticized the BRICS bloc for attempting to trade outside the US dollar system. “BRICS was put there for a bad purpose,” Trump remarked, emphasizing that if these countries wanted to challenge the dollar, they could face severe tariffs.
**Invitation for Russia’s Return to G8**
Trump expressed his desire to see Russia reinstated in the G7, returning it to its original G8 status. He suggested, “I think it was a mistake to throw them out,” arguing that Russia should be part of discussions about significant global issues. He speculated that had Russia been included, the situation in Ukraine might have been different.
**Nuclear Arms Control**
Trump also spoke about reducing global nuclear arsenals through discussions with Russia and China. He highlighted plans to engage in talks on military spending and arms control once the geopolitical landscape stabilizes. “At some point, when things settle down, I’m going to meet with China and I’m going to meet with Russia,” he stated, arguing against the necessity for countries to continue expanding their nuclear arsenals given the existing stockpiles.
“There’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons. We already have so many you could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over,” Trump concluded, expressing optimism that both Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would be receptive to such negotiations.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
Key points from the briefing include:
**Biden’s Influence on Ukraine Conflict**
Trump held his predecessor, Joe Biden, responsible for the rise in tensions between Russia and Ukraine. He maintained that if he had remained in office, the conflict would not have escalated. Trump specifically pointed to Biden’s reference to Ukraine potentially joining NATO as a significant provocation that played a role in igniting the conflict.
“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” Trump stated. He insisted that Biden’s comments contributed directly to the outbreak of war, labeling them as “reckless” and “ill-conceived.”
**Continued Denial of NATO Membership for Ukraine**
Trump supported the views expressed by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, regarding Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership, asserting that they were “pretty accurate.” He dismissed a suggestion to retract Hegseth's comments, saying, “Somebody told me to, but I thought his comments were good yesterday. They’re probably good today.”
Hegseth had indicated that Ukraine's goal of reclaiming all lost territories was unrealistic, advocating instead for a negotiated peace and noting that NATO membership would not be part of any peace agreement.
**Upcoming US-Russia Meeting**
In the press conference, Trump announced preparations for a high-level meeting in Munich involving officials from the United States and Russia, with Ukraine also invited. “They’re having a meeting in Munich, tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people. Ukraine is also invited,” he explained. Trump expressed a willingness to meet Putin in person, possibly in Saudi Arabia, although he acknowledged that it was “a little early” to finalize such arrangements.
**Trust in Putin**
Clarifying his stance on Putin, Trump expressed confidence in the Russian leader's desire for peace: “I believe that President Putin, when I spoke to him yesterday… I think he wants peace.” He criticized the Biden administration for failing to act sooner to defuse tensions before they escalated into conflict.
“I trust him on this subject. I think he’d like to see something happen,” Trump asserted, adding that this situation “should never have been allowed to happen” in the first place.
**Critique of BRICS**
During the conference, Trump discussed his new tariff plan aimed at leveling the playing field for American goods. He labeled India as one of the most protectionist economies, targeting countries that erect high import duties. Additionally, he criticized the BRICS bloc for attempting to trade outside the US dollar system. “BRICS was put there for a bad purpose,” Trump remarked, emphasizing that if these countries wanted to challenge the dollar, they could face severe tariffs.
**Invitation for Russia’s Return to G8**
Trump expressed his desire to see Russia reinstated in the G7, returning it to its original G8 status. He suggested, “I think it was a mistake to throw them out,” arguing that Russia should be part of discussions about significant global issues. He speculated that had Russia been included, the situation in Ukraine might have been different.
**Nuclear Arms Control**
Trump also spoke about reducing global nuclear arsenals through discussions with Russia and China. He highlighted plans to engage in talks on military spending and arms control once the geopolitical landscape stabilizes. “At some point, when things settle down, I’m going to meet with China and I’m going to meet with Russia,” he stated, arguing against the necessity for countries to continue expanding their nuclear arsenals given the existing stockpiles.
“There’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons. We already have so many you could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over,” Trump concluded, expressing optimism that both Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would be receptive to such negotiations.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
