Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a 15 Aug 2025 press conference in Alaska that the war in Ukraine would not have broken out if Donald Trump had been President of the United States in 2022. “Today, when President Trump says that if he were president back then there would be no war, I’m quite sure that indeed would be so. I can confirm that,” Putin told reporters. The Russian leader added that he and Trump had established a “very good, business-like and trustworthy” relationship during Trump’s term and suggested the two could reach an end to the conflict. Putin’s remarks align with Trump’s longstanding claim that his presence in the White House would have deterred Moscow from launching its invasion. Putin did not detail what policies under a Trump administration might have altered Russia’s decision-making. The comments, which come as the war nears its fourth year, underscore the Kremlin’s view that U.S. leadership is a decisive factor in the conflict’s trajectory.