US President Donald Trump has stated that one of the reasons for the conflict was the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO.
They (the Russians) also said from the very beginning, long before President (Vladimir) Putin, that they could not allow Ukraine to join NATO. They said that very strongly. I think that was one of the reasons why the war started… I think that was one of the reasons, one of the reasons for the war to start,’ Trump said during a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Modi.
I can tell you that I heard long before President (Vladimir) Putin that Russia would never accept that, and I think Ukraine understood that. Ukraine did not join the alliance or even apply for membership until recently,’ Trump said at a White House press conference.
He also noted that the future of the conflict resolution talks remained uncertain.
The negotiations haven’t actually started yet. We’ll see how they go. Maybe Russia will agree to concessions, maybe not – it all depends on how events unfold,’ Trump added.