Former President Donald Trump reportedly sent coronavirus testing devices to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the height of the pandemic, according to the Kremlin. The revelation was made in Bob Woodward’s book “War,” which explores Trump and President Joe Biden’s relationships with foreign leaders. However, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied claims that Trump and Putin had spoken multiple times since Trump left office.
Trump also dismissed Woodward’s reporting as untrue and criticized him as a “storyteller.” The book raises questions about Trump’s stance on the war in Ukraine if he were to be re-elected, as he has previously claimed he could resolve the conflict in one day. Trump has expressed positive sentiments about his relationship with Putin, as well as his ties to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
As a private citizen, Trump would need permission from the sitting president to negotiate on behalf of the U.S. government. Woodward noted that Trump’s senior adviser was unaware of any conversations between Trump and Putin, but stated that they would know how to contact each other if needed. Critics of Trump have criticized his friendly demeanor towards authoritarian leaders like Putin, whom he has praised as “savvy” and commended Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “genius.”
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