Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he thought President-elect Donald Trump was still “not entirely safe” from continued assassination attempts, while addressing the future of relations between Washington and Moscow.
Speaking to reporters after an international summit in Kazakhstan, Putin, 72, commended Trump for winning the 2024 election despite “absolutely uncivilized” attacks on Trump’s life.
“Uncivilized means were employed against Trump, absolutely uncivilized, including attempts on his life, more than once — incidentally, I believe he is still not entirely safe,” he said. “So what? There have been various instances in the history of the United States.”
Trump survived two assassination attempts in the months leading up to the election Nov. 5. On July 13, Trump was struck in the ear by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks’ bullet at an outdoor rally in Butler County, Pa.
Just two months later on Sept. 15, another attempted assassin, Ryan Routh, was caught hiding in the bushes of Trump’s Florida golf course with a rifle while the president-elect was golfing nearby.
The dictator went on to say that he believed Trump would “discover a solution” to Russia’s war on Ukraine, “especially after enduring such, shall we say, a significant challenge as the battle to reclaim the White House.”
Putin did not elaborate on what that solution might be.
Trump has said little on his plans for the Ukraine War, but on Wednesday named retired Gen. Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia — empowering the longtime adviser to help end Moscow’s nearly three-year invasion.
“I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia,” Trump said in a statement.
“Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration. He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!”
The retired Army lieutenant general, a frequent guest on cable news programs, co-authored a research paper in April that proposed using shipments of military aid to Kyiv as leverage to push peace talks with the Kremlin.
“Specifically, it would mean a formal U.S. policy to seek a cease-fire and negotiated settlement of the Ukraine conflict,” he said. “The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a cease-fire or peace agreement.”
“Future American military aid, however, will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia,” he added in the paper.
