The rivals have traded blame for helping to start the conflict in Ukraine
US President Joe Biden and his rival, former President Donald Trump, have accused each other of emboldening Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. They attacked each other’s record on foreign policy during the first presidential debate hosted by CNN in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday.
Trump argued that Biden had damaged America’s reputation on the world stage, and that it was one of the factors that convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch the ongoing military operation in the neighboring country in February 2022.
“If we had a president that was respected by Putin, he would have never invaded Ukraine,” Trump said. “[Biden] did nothing to stop it. You know, I think he encouraged Russia [to] go in.”
The former president suggested that Putin “saw the incompetence” of Washington during the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in 2021. It was “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country,” Trump said.
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June 28, 2024 at 07:25AM
RT