RCP’s Phil Wegmann asked President Trump at the White House on Friday if Russia is still demanding territorial concessions in order to end the war in Ukraine, and whether he expects Ukraine to accept that. “Well, you’re looking at territory that’s been fought over for three and a half years,” Trump said. “So we’re looking at that, but we’re actually looking to get some back and some swapping. It’s complicated-there’s nothing easy.” “But we’re going to get some back, we’re going to get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both. But we’ll be talking about that either later or tomorrow or whatever.”

PHILIP WEGMANN, REAL CLEAR POLITICS: Mr. President, with this meeting with Putin, is this Russia’s last chance to achieve peace, and do you expect Ukraine to make any type of territorial concessions? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah, I don’t like using the term last chance. Look, this is two very, very smart people. They’ve been going at it for-and their predecessors are also very smart, and they’ve been going at it for 35 years. It’s tough. And, you know, when those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get them to stop. It’s a war that should have never happened. It would have never happened if I were president. There was no reason for it. So many people are killed. So much cultural destruction. You look at those magnificent towers-the most beautiful in the world-you know, the spires were considered the most beautiful in the world. They’re all in a million pieces, laying on the ground, all obliterated, knocked inot a million pieces. So sad. But millions of people have died. And they’re very, very much set in their ways. A lot of people are set in their ways. But I think we’re getting close. I mean, this was not my war. This was Biden’s war. But the European Union has been great. As you know, they’re purchasing equipment from us. They have a lot of money and they’re spending a lot of money on buying equipment. We’re not spending money, but we are supplying them equipment-they’re paying for it. And I think a lot of things have happened recently that would make this go forward. I’m not going to mention anything having to do with India, but maybe that had an impact. But what really had an impact was NATO stepped up in terms of their spending on buying military equipment. We’re in for-probably, through Biden’s people-$ 350 billion. $ 350 billion! When they hear these numbers, you’re saying, That’s a lot of money. Three hundred and fifty billion dollars the United States has spent on that. It should have spent nothing, because it should have never happened. It would have never happened. Europe is in for over $ 100 billion, which, it should be the opposite. If we were in for anything, it should be the opposite. I will say that Europe wants to see peace. The European leaders want to see peace. President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelensky wants to see peace. Now, President Zelensky has to get all of his — everything he needs, because he’s going to have to get ready to sign something. And I think he is working hard to get that done. WEGMANN: Will Zelensky have to give up territory? TRUMP: Well, you’re looking at territory that’s been fought over for three and a half years. A lot of Russians have died, a lot of Ukrainians have died. So we’re looking at that, but we’re actually looking to get some back and some swapping. It’s complicated-there’s nothing easy. But we’re going to get some back, we’re going to get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both. But we’ll be talking about that either later or tomorrow or whatever.