Former US President Donald Trump said he allegedly threatened Russian President Vladimir Putin to strike at Moscow if Russia "pursues Ukraine." The Republican candidate made such statements at a meeting with the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal.
"Vladimir, if you pursue Ukraine, I will hit you so hard that you won't even believe it. I will strike right in the center of damn Moscow," the authors of the material quote Trump.
According to the ex-president, he told Putin that he would not like to do this, since they have good relations, but he "would have no choice."
When and under what circumstances this conversation could have taken place, Trump did not specify.
Answering a question during a meeting with the editorial board about the possible use of military force against China in the event of a blockade of Taiwan, the ex-president questioned the need for such actions, referring to his relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"I don't think I would have to. He... knows I'm fucking crazy," Trump replied.
According to him, Putin knows the same thing.
Earlier, Trump has repeatedly stated that he is on good terms with the Russian leader and will be able to resolve the conflict on Ukraine even before the inauguration in case of its victory in the November elections in the United States.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously noted that there is a "deep state" in the United States, the functioning of which does not depend on who holds the post of head of the White House. In particular, the foreign Minister pointed out that Donald Trump, when he was president, communicated with Putin several times and was friendly. At the same time, anti-Russian restrictions, including quite serious ones, were introduced under him. Therefore, Lavrov explained, Moscow has come to the conclusion that it should rely only on itself.