Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin is 'somewhat weakened' by aborted mutiny
30 June 2023, 09:30
Former US President Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin has been “somewhat weakened” by the aborted mutiny attempted by the Wagner Group last weekend.
Trump, who has publicly had a “very close relationship” with the Russian President, told Reuters in a phone call that he wanted “people to stop dying over this ridiculous war.”
A reported 5,000 soldiers and tanks under the control of the Wagner Group advanced on Moscow last weekend, before the Private Military Company’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced via his Telegram channel that the group had turned back their convoys to avoid “spilling Russian blood.”
The shock U-turn was met by comments from the former American President on his Truth Social channel, describing the situation as “a big mess in Russia.”
“But be careful what you wish for,” he added. “Next in may be far worse!”
Read more: Wagner private army stands down coup attempt on Moscow after talks with Kremlin
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President Biden meanwhile said the short-lived mutiny in Russia had “absolutely weakened” Putin and in an address from the White House on Monday, told the world press, “We made clear that we were not involved [in the Wagner PMC mutiny]. We had nothing to do with it,”
His comments come after Trump lashed out against President Biden prior to the de-escalation last weekend, writing on his Truth Social platform: “Biden will do about Russia whatever President Xi of China wants him to do.”
Providing no evidence to back up his claims, Trump continued: “Remember, Hunter and Joe illegally took large amounts of money from both countries, but China right now is the bigger threat.”
While Biden and Ukraine’s other Western Allies made a point of staying out of the PMC mutiny, the White House did announce a $500 million military aid package on Tuesday.
Including artillery, missiles and ammunition, the aid package comes as Ukrainian forces work to re-take Eastern and South-Eastern cities still held by Russia.
In an announcement made this morning, Ukraine will also receive $1.5bn from the World Bank to support reconstruction within the country.
