In an exclusive interview with Donald Trump on NBC's “Meet the Press” on Sunday, the president-elect told NBC News' Kristen Welker that Ukraine “may” receive less military aid after he takes office.
“We are threatened with $350 billion and Europe is threatened with $100 billion. Why doesn’t Europe expect the same as us?” Trump told Welker in regards to the support Ukraine has received for the reason that war began in February 2022.
“The only thing that should happen is that Europe … strikes a balance,” he added.
On Saturday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a $988 million aid package of latest weapons and equipment for Ukraine to assist in the continued conflict following the Russian invasion. In total, the United States has provided greater than $62 billion in aid to Ukraine for the reason that conflict began nearly three years ago.
“I find [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy] is perhaps the greatest salesman of any politician who has ever lived,” Trump said of the Ukrainian leader in June. The comments suggest that Zelensky's diplomatic skill was to finance the tens of billions of dollars in military aid packages, rather than the country's actual needs.
As he did during his first term in the White House, Trump said NATO must “pay its bills” to ensure the US remains part of the military coalition. The new president has previously repeatedly threatened to withdraw the country from NATO – an alliance that has existed since World War II and whose main task is to protect it from Russia's growing power.
“Europe is facing a fraction, and the war with Russia is more important for Europe than it is for us,” Trump told Welker. “We have a little thing called the ocean between us.”
When asked whether he had been in contact with Putin since taking office, Trump did not deny having spoken to the Russian president.
The new president met with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Saturday during a 35-minute meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The three were in Paris for a ceremony to reopen Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been undergoing repairs since a fire in 2019.
After Trump's conversation with Zelensky in France, the new president called on social media for an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
“There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations begin,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. He added that it was a “war that should never have started and could go on forever.”
Trump previously said he would broker an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine within a day of taking office, citing his close ties with Putin.
“I know Vladimir well. Now is the time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!” Trump added in his Social media post.
Trump also highlighted his “good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting that they had communicated since his election and as recently as three days before his interview with NBC's Welker.
Asked whether he would defend Taiwan if China invaded the island nation-state, Trump said that while he would prefer that China not do so, he declined to say whether he would like the U.S. to intervene, pointing that out that he had to “negotiate things”.
In his recent phone call with President Xi, Trump said the issue of Taiwan “did not come up.”
The US president-elect also spoke about Russia's role in the Syrian conflict.
After a 13-year civil war, Syrian rebels seized control of the capital Damascus on Sunday, saying they had successfully toppled President Bashar al-Assad. There are reports that the plane that took Assad out of the country has disappeared.
“Assad is gone. He fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was no longer interested in protecting him. There was no reason for Russia to be there at all. They lost.” “All interest in Syria because of Ukraine,” Trump added on Truth Social.
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