President Donald Trump received an unlikely nod Friday from former political rival Hillary Clinton, who said she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize if he can negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine that does not require Kyiv to cede territory to Russia.
Speaking on the "Raging Moderates" podcast, Clinton said her priority is to prevent what she called "capitulation to Putin." She told host Jessica Tarlov, "Honestly, if he could bring about the end to this terrible war, if he could end it without putting Ukraine in a position where it had to concede its territory to the aggressor, could really stand up to Putin - something we haven't seen, but maybe this is the opportunity - if President Trump were the architect of that, I'd nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize."
The former secretary of state, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump, also outlined the parameters she believes would demonstrate a good-faith resolution. "There must be a ceasefire, there will be no exchange of territory, and... Putin should be actually withdrawing from the territory that he has seized," she said. Clinton added, "My goal here is not to allow capitulation to Putin, aided and abetted by the United States."
The comments came as Trump traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, for high-stakes talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at ending the three-and-a-half-year conflict. Trump has pledged since returning to office in January to broker a peace deal, warning that Russia would face severe consequences-likely economic-if it refuses to negotiate.
On Thursday, Trump told Fox News Radio's The Brian Kilmeade Show that he was "convinced" Putin would make a deal. "He's going to make a deal. I think he's going to, and we're going to find out. I'm going to know very quickly," Trump said. The president indicated that if the Anchorage meeting goes well, it could pave the way for a second round of talks that might include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "If it's a good meeting-if it's a bad meeting I'm not calling anybody, I'm going home," he said, adding that he would also consult European leaders.
Clinton's statement marks a sharp departure from her long-standing criticisms of Trump, which have included calling him "temperamentally unfit" for the presidency, accusing him of praising dictators, and describing his administration in February as "dumb." In an October interview last year, she said Trump was "more unhinged, [and] more unstable" than during their 2016 contest.
