Russian President Vladimir Putin commended U.S. President Donald Trump’s work on international conflicts on Friday, even as Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and expressed optimism about extending a key nuclear arms treaty with the U.S. for an additional year.
In response to questions from reporters on whether Trump was overlooked for the Nobel in favor of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, Putin said he does not make such decisions but lauded Trump’s actions on the Gaza ceasefire and the Ukraine situation.
“He’s really doing a lot to resolve such complex crises that have lasted for years and even decades,” Putin said during a summit of ex-Soviet states in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. He added that a successful Gaza ceasefire would represent a “historic” achievement.
Trump responded promptly on Truth Social with thanks, sharing a video of Putin’s remarks and referencing the praise for addressing global issues.
Putin avoided direct remarks on Machado’s award but noted that the Nobel Committee has previously given the prize to individuals with minimal contributions to peace.
“There have been cases where the committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to people who have done nothing for peace,” Putin said. “A person comes, good or bad, and (gets it) in a month, in two months, boom. For what? He didn’t do anything at all. In my view, these decisions have done enormous damage to the prestige of this prize.”
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko described the Nobel Committee’s choice to bypass Trump as “sheer stupidity.”
The committee’s members “have done a disservice to the peace process in all spots,” said Lukashenko in televised comments from Tajikistan. Lukashenko, isolated by Western nations over his suppression of opposition, met with Trump in August, resulting in a U.S.-mediated agreement that released numerous Belarusian political detainees and relaxed sanctions on the country’s airline.
Discussions on Ukraine Resolution
On the Ukraine war, ongoing for over three and a half years, Putin mentioned talks with Trump at their August summit in Alaska aimed at resolution, stating that both sides share a general alignment on next steps.
Putin said he informed Trump in Alaska that he required additional time for reflection and consultations with Russia’s partners.
“These are complex issues that require further analysis, but we remain committed to the discussion that took place in Anchorage,” he said, adding that “perhaps we can still accomplish a lot based on the agreements and discussions in Anchorage.”
Nuclear Treaty Extension Prospects
Putin indicated hope for an accord between Moscow and Washington to prolong the 2010 New START treaty, which caps each nation at 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, beyond its February expiration.
When questioned earlier about Putin’s September suggestion to extend New START, Trump said Sunday it “sounds like a good idea to me.”
Putin stated Friday that sufficient time remains for an agreement “if there is a good will.”
He observed that “if the American side decides that it doesn’t need it, it’s not critical for us at all,” given Russia’s modernized nuclear capabilities and upcoming deployments.
Putin cautioned that without the treaty, no arms control framework would exist between the two leading nuclear states.
“We’re ready to negotiate if the Americans, the American side sees it as acceptable and useful,” he said. “If not, then no. It would be a pity, because there would be nothing left at all in terms of deterrence in the area of strategic offensive weapons.”
