Ukraine will likely 'end up with a little bit different shape' after war, Trump tells 60 Minutes

In an interview with 60 Minutes on Nov. 9, U.S. President Trump detailed his expectations for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, discussed Starlink slowdowns, and defended his policies regarding the war.

"I think we're going to have it done and I think it's going to happen, and they're going to end up with a little bit different shape [for] Ukraine," Trump told 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat about his expectations for how Russia's invasion of Ukraine will end.

The president's comments come following a crushing defeat for his Republican party in the U.S. midterm elections.

Speaking about the upcoming trilateral peace negotiations between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia to be held in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, Trump said he believes "that we're very close to making a deal."

"​​There's a very important meeting taking place," Trump said. "I believe that that war is going to end and it's going to end soon. And the only reason it's going to end is because of me."

When asked about what he viewed as the biggest obstacle to peace in Ukraine, Trump pointed to the relationship between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It was the hatred between Zelensky and Putin," Trump said.

When Douthat pointed out that Zelensky's feelings towards Putin were "understandable" given that Russia invaded Ukraine, Trump demurred.

"When [Putin and Zelensky] had their first meeting, there was great disrespect shown to Russia," Trump said. "So I'm not going to say anything."

When asked who he trusted more between Putin and Zelensky, Trump refused to answer.

"I'd rather not say, but I get along with both," Trump said. The U.S. president said that he did not believe Putin was "stringing" him along.

Regarding speed caps that plagued Ukraine's Starlink military systems for much of October, Trump said he did not know who was responsible.

"It wasn't me," Trump said. "The system is a very good system. And it was perhaps turned down. I don't even know. It hasn't been proven to me that it was turned down. There's a lot of lies going on with that war. But I know this, that when I heard about it, it went back up."

Ukraine widely uses both commercial Starlink terminals and their militarized version, Starshield. In mid-October, a speed cap on Ukraine's Starshield service was implemented without warning, disrupting the military's ability to intercept Russian jet-powered drones. Though service was later restored, no person has yet taken responsibility for the disruptions.

When asked if Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, had ordered the speed limits to be placed on the system, Trump again said he did not know.

"I can't tell you who turned it down," Trump said. "I can tell you, ultimately, [Musk] turned it back up."

Throughout the interview, Trump repeatedly boasted about his handling of the war.

"There's been nobody that's been tougher on Russia than me," Trump said. "Look at our trade. Look what I've done to them on trade with the sanctions and everything else."

When Douthat pushed back on Trump's claim, citing his recent waiver of sanctions on Russian oil exports, the commander-in-chief defended the move.

"I didn't lift diesel sanctions," Trump said. "I made it possible for Russia to give, not us, but to the world, thousands and thousands of barrels of oil, of diesel, which it needed. I didn't do any big favor."

Trump also slammed the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of military aid given to Ukraine during the administration of former President Joe Biden. Trump then praised his own aid policy in which the U.S. sells weapons to European nations, who then give the arms to Ukraine.

"We just gave weapon after weapon after weapon and we supplied the weapons," Trump said. "And by the way, Ukraine had the courage to use them because you still have to have courage to use them. And they've been very formidable, but they had the best weapons on earth, and we got nothing for it."

Douthat countered, saying the weapon shipments under former President Biden helped ensure Ukrainian independence in the early, tumultuous days of the war.

"You haven't gotten it yet," Trump said. "You haven't gotten anything yet. Let's see how it all works out."