Trump: Putin ‘somewhat weakened’ by Wagner group mutiny, urges West to make Ukraine peace deal

Former President Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin was “somewhat weakened” by the brief mutiny of the Wagner mercenary group.

Mr. Trump, in an interview with Reuters, also said the West should use the occasion to press for a peace deal.

“I want people to stop dying over this ridiculous war,” Mr. Trump told the wire service. “I think the biggest thing that the U.S. should be doing right now is making peace — getting Russia and Ukraine together and making peace. You can do it. This is the time to do it, to get the two parties together to force peace.”

Mr. Trump weighed in days after a mercenary revolt shook Moscow and raised questions about Mr. Putin’s grip on power. Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin threatened to take down Russian military leadership and began a march toward the capital. He abruptly called off his troops and accepted an amnesty deal that gave him a safe haven in Belarus.

“You could say that [Mr. Putin’s] still there. He’s still strong but he certainly has been, I would say, somewhat weakened at least in the minds of a lot of people,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump, who faced repeated questions about his unwillingness to criticize Mr. Putin, suggested Ukraine might have to cede some territory in a settlement to end the invasion.

“I think [Ukraine] would be entitled to keep much of what they’ve earned and I think that Russia likewise would agree to that. You need the right mediator or negotiator, and we don’t have that right now,” he said.

He also said it would be a mistake to push Mr. Putin over war crimes at this juncture.

“Because right now if you bring that topic up you’ll never make peace, you’ll never make a settlement,” he said.

The White House has repeatedly said that decisions about negotiating an end to the war must be led by Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv and that Russia could end the war immediately by withdrawing its troops.

Earlier this week, President Biden said it is “hard to tell” if Mr. Putin has been seriously weakened but said the Kremlin leader is in poor standing because of the Ukraine invasion.

“He’s losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world,” Mr. Biden said.