'Lipstick on a pig': CNN hits Trump's spin on Putin's ceasefire statement
Donald Trump's interpretation of Vladimir Putin's non-committal statement on a ceasefire with Ukraine was like "putting lipstick on a pig," according to CNN's Brianna Keilar. Putin said a a news conference, “We agree with the proposals to stop the hostilities." And, while Russia would support a pause in the fighting, "There are issues that need to be discussed,” Putin said, adding that he may need to “have a phone call with Trump.”Trump was asked about the statement during an Oval Office meeting Thursday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump called it "very promising" but "incomplete." He said he 'would love to meet and talk to Putin, but we have to get it over with fast,'" co-host Boris Sanchez recounted.ALSO READ: 'The Hard Reset': Here's how the U.S. is exporting terrorism around the world"He also essentially announced something we hadn't heard before — the way that this is being negotiated," Sanchez continued. "He says that, 'We've been discussing pieces of land that would be kept and lost,' adding that there's a power plant involved — a question of who gets that power plant. 'It's not an easy process,' he says. He also added that there's a question of whether Ukraine can join NATO. He said of Ukraine, 'They've known that answer for 40 years. If we don't see a deal,' Trump says, 'it will be a very disappointing moment for the world.'"Keilar said that the power plant spoken of, the Zaporizhzhia facility, is the largest in Europe, "Which Russia was able to take over and supply so much of the power to Ukraine, but also other parts of the continent.""He's trying to kind of put some lipstick on, I don't know, maybe a pig," Keilar said of Trump's spin, since Putin was "quibbling with a lot of the details" of the ceasefire agreement. Analyst David Sanger said that Trump was "clearly in a position here where he wants to encourage the Russians to get to yes. And on the one hand, the good news about that is, that could get you to a ceasefire and save lives. The worrisome news about this is he could be willing to give away almost anything here if, in fact, his bigger concern isn't Ukraine, but rather just rebuilding the relationship with Russia, which the Europeans think is actually where he is headed."Watch the clip below via CNN.
Donald Trump's interpretation of Vladimir Putin's non-committal statement on a ceasefire with Ukraine was like "putting lipstick on a pig," according to CNN's Brianna Keilar.
Putin said a a news conference, “We agree with the proposals to stop the hostilities." And, while Russia would support a pause in the fighting, "There are issues that need to be discussed,” Putin said, adding that he may need to “have a phone call with Trump.”
Trump was asked about the statement during an Oval Office meeting Thursday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump called it "very promising" but "incomplete." He said he 'would love to meet and talk to Putin, but we have to get it over with fast,'" co-host Boris Sanchez recounted.
ALSO READ: 'The Hard Reset': Here's how the U.S. is exporting terrorism around the world
"He also essentially announced something we hadn't heard before — the way that this is being negotiated," Sanchez continued. "He says that, 'We've been discussing pieces of land that would be kept and lost,' adding that there's a power plant involved — a question of who gets that power plant. 'It's not an easy process,' he says. He also added that there's a question of whether Ukraine can join NATO. He said of Ukraine, 'They've known that answer for 40 years. If we don't see a deal,' Trump says, 'it will be a very disappointing moment for the world.'"
Keilar said that the power plant spoken of, the Zaporizhzhia facility, is the largest in Europe, "Which Russia was able to take over and supply so much of the power to Ukraine, but also other parts of the continent."
"He's trying to kind of put some lipstick on, I don't know, maybe a pig," Keilar said of Trump's spin, since Putin was "quibbling with a lot of the details" of the ceasefire agreement.
Analyst David Sanger said that Trump was "clearly in a position here where he wants to encourage the Russians to get to yes. And on the one hand, the good news about that is, that could get you to a ceasefire and save lives. The worrisome news about this is he could be willing to give away almost anything here if, in fact, his bigger concern isn't Ukraine, but rather just rebuilding the relationship with Russia, which the Europeans think is actually where he is headed."
