Former United States National Security Adviser, John Bolton, has alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is influencing U.S. President Donald Trump amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking on Friday, Bolton claimed that Russia’s only regret in the conflict was not demanding more, even as Trump pushes for a peace deal.
“What we are seeing now is Vladimir Putin maneuvering to get to the point where he has a one-on-one phone conversation with Trump,” Bolton told Sky News.
When asked if he believed Putin was manipulating Trump, he responded: “I think so. If you look at the American position on the war, the only regret in the Kremlin is that they did not ask for more.”
Bolton’s remarks follow Trump’s recent claim that there is a strong possibility of ending the war after what he described as productive discussions with Putin.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump also disclosed that he had urged Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops currently encircled.
The U.S. President remains determined to broker a peace deal to end the war, which has lasted for over three years.