Trump tells Putin to end war in Ukraine before mediating Iran-Israel
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US President Donald Trump (left) told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine before trying to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict.
PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump appeared on June 18 to rebuff President Vladimir Putin’s offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying the Russian leader should end his own war in Ukraine first.
Mr Trump told reporters at the White House: “He actually offered to help mediate. I said, ‘Do me a favour, mediate your own. Let’s mediate Russia first, okay?’
“I said ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first, you can worry about this later.’”
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov appeared to suggest the pair had not even spoken, telling Russian state news agency Tass: “He was speaking figuratively. Life is so eventful right now that looking back a few days is like looking back to yesterday.”
Later on June 18, Mr Trump said a change in Iran’s government “could happen”, and also indicated that negotiations could be in the offing, without giving details.
“They want to meet, they want to come to the White House – I may do that,” he told reporters. AFP
