'We had very narrow negotiations that were quite useful.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that if US President Donald Trump had been in power in 2022, the Russia-Ukraine conflict would likely never have happened --- a claim Trump has made several times, blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the war.
At a joint press conference after nearly three hours of talks with Trump, Putin said that in 2022, he had cautioned Biden that the tensions between the two nations should not be allowed to reach a point of no return.
'Today, when President Trump says had he been the President back then, there would have been no war, and I am quite sure it would indeed be so,' he said.
'During the last contact with the previous administration in 2022, I tried to convince my previous American colleague that the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it comes to hostilities. I said it directly back then that it is a big mistake.'
Putin said that on Friday's negotiations had been useful and were held in a constructive atmosphere.
'Our negotiations have been held in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect. We had very narrow negotiations that were quite useful. I would like to thank my American counterpart once again for the proposal to travel out here to Alaska. It only makes sense that we've met here because our countries, though separated by the oceans, are close neighbours,' he said.
Despite being separated by the International Date Line, Putin said Russia and the US are geographically close, making the meeting feel like a visit to a neighbour.
'So when we met, when I came out of the plane, I said, 'Good Afternoon, dear neighbour! Very good to see you in good health.' I think that is very neighbourly. I think that's some kind words that we can say to each other.
'We are separated by the Strait of Bering, though there are only two islands between the Russian island and the US island; they are only 4 km apart. We are close neighbours and it's a fact,' he said.
Putin further acknowledged that US-Russia relations have hit a record low, but emphasised that he and Trump had spoken candidly over the phone.
'At this new stage, even during the hardest conditions, it is known that there have been no summits between Russia and the US in four years. That's a long time. This time was very hard for bilateral relations, and let's be frank -- they have fallen to the lowest point since the Cold War. I think that's not benefiting our countries and the world as a whole.
'Sooner or later, we have to amend the situation to move on from confrontation to dialogue. In this case, a personal meeting between the heads of State has been long overdue. Naturally, the condition of serious and painstaking work. This work has been done in general. President Trump and me have a very good direct contact. We have spoken multiple times. We spoke frankly on the phone,' he said.
Putin acknowledged that Ukraine's security should be ensured as well, and lauded Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict.
'We see the strive of the administration and President Trump personally to help facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict and his strive to get to the crux of the matter to understand this history is precious.
'The situation in Ukraine poses a fundamental threat to our security. Moreover, the Ukrainian nation, and I have said it multiple times, is a brotherly nation; however strange it may sound in these conditions. We have the same roots, and everything that's happening is a tragedy for us. And a terrible wound,' Putin said.
Russia, Putin added, wishes to establish a just balance of power between the European Union and Russia to address the long-term issues of the conflict.
'At the same time, we are convinced that in order to make the settlement lasting and long-term, we need to eliminate all the primary causes of the conflict. We have said it multiple times to consider all legitimate constraints of Russia and to reinstate a just balance of security in Europe and in the world as a whole.'
'I agree with President Trump, as he has said today, that, naturally, the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well. Naturally, we are prepared to welcome that,' he said.
Putin further stressed that he expects Ukraine and the EU to respect the ongoing process.
'I would like to hope that the agreement we have reached together will help us bring closer that goal and will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine. We expect that Kyiv and European capitals will perceive that constructively, and they won't throw a wrench in the works.'
'They will not make any attempts to use some back-room dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the progress.'
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