Trump vows Putin is ‘not going into Ukraine’ — two years after Russia annexed Crimea

[DonViejo]

Source: RawStory

In an interview with ABC News, which aired in full length Sunday morning, This Week host George Stephanopoulos grilled GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump over his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

-snip-

“He’s not going into Ukraine, okay, just so you understand,” Trump responded. “He’s not gonna go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down. You can put it down. You can take it anywhere you want.”

Stephanopoulos then pointed out that Putin is “already there” and noted Trump had said he’d consider recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea if he were elected president. Trump said he’d “take a look at” the Russian take-over of Crimea but then made a pro-Kremlin talking point.

“But you know, the people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were,” Trump said. “And you have to look at that, also. Now, that was under– just so you understand, that was done under Obama’s administration.”

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/trump-vows-putin-is-not-going-into-ukraine-two-years-after-russia-annexed-crimea/

---

short video of interview at link, above

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Flip Flop Whiz Whiz

oh what a belief it is

[TomCADem]

15. No, This Was Just Plain Ignorance

Fuck, most reasonably well informed folks, let alone candidates for President would know that Russia has a presence in the Ukraine. This is not exactly a State secret. Plus, with all the controversy over Trump's Russia comments, a normal candidate would at least brush up on the cliff notes on current Russian issues.

[NoRWNJ]

2. Trump shows his ignorance in foreign affairs...

again!

[oberliner]

3. He just doesn't know anything about the subject

Which his supporters will say doesn't matter because he will "hire the best experts" to take care of it.

[left-of-center2012]

4. Maybe Trump thinks Ukraine is part of Missouri? n/t

[Old Union Guy]

5. Not as stupid as you're thinking. But more evil.

Implicitly Crimea is not Ukraine -- which is the Russian official position on the issue.

[Grey Lemercier]

9. this is correct

[Politicub]

6. Beginning to think that Putin has some major intel about Trump

Perhaps gained from one of its forays into hacking candidates for president.

The other answer is that Trump idolizes how Putin has consolidated power. Perhaps Trump longs to be a strongman cast in the Putin mold, riding majestic steeds, flab shaking as the horse starts to gallop, while his combover waves to the crowd.

[PSPS]

7. I don't think that's it at all.

The fact is that Trump's entire "empire" is heavily leveraged with money from the oligarchs. It's that simple. That's one of the reasons he doesn't want to release his tax returns. The rest is just blather he knows his "base" likes to hear and will swing the spotlight back on himself because it's "outrageous."

[red dog 1]

13. You may be right,

that would explain why Trump the Chump won't release his tax returns.

[Moonwalk]

8. As said, it's simpler than that. Russia gave him big loans and now owns Trump's ass....

...he'll keep excusing and praising Russia while pushing, with all his might, the spotlight onto China as the big evil. Because that is what Putin is telling him to do, and he's in Putin's pocket.

I sure hope there's a smoking gun that makes this all evident and that it appears in, oh, say early October. Because I think it's the one and only thing that might make Trump lovers waver in their absolute loyalty--if the curtain was pulled back and they could see Putin pulling Trump's strings.

[Politicub]

11. Bet you're right - the simplest explanation is often the right one

Plus Trump's son said that Russians are heavily invested in Trump.

What's bizarre is that I grew up in the final years of the cold war. It's still seared into my mind. It seems like the older people who lived through the whole thing, though, are the ones most on Trump's side. Just don't get it.

[NoMoreRepugs]

10. time for ANONYMOUS to get into the act

and find and release something which is incontrovertible about the financial link btwn Russia and T-Rump...

yes it's hacking and illegal but the fate of the planet hangs in the balance so I say go to it...

[red dog 1]

12. + 1

[red dog 1]

14. K&R

[Odin2005]

16. Trump is the Manchurian Candidate.

[TomCADem]

17. ...Running as the Manchurian Candidate.

- Trevor Noah