President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz was not happy on Sunday after he was asked if the 78-year-old president was getting ‘played’ by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The question came as the U.S. is working to broker a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia as war has raged since Russia invaded.
Fill-in anchor Jacqui Heinrich posed the question while Waltz was appearing on Fox News Sunday.
She noted that a European intelligence service uncovered a document prepared for the Kremlin on how to stall at the same time Russia first came to the negotiating table and pointed out much of the document has played out.
Heinrich quoted The Washington Post report which detailed how Russia can boost its negotiating position by proposing access to Russian minerals, reject peacekeepers and propose demilitarize zones.
‘How do you know President Trump isn’t being played right now by Putin?’ Heinrich asked.
‘Well look, that’s almost laughable,’ Waltz said after a pause.
‘I’ll take President Trump in dealing with the likes of Xi, of Kim Jong Un, with Putin and others certainly ahead of his predecessor,’ Waltz declared.
He noted comments from both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while insisting ‘only President Trump could drive this to an end.’
‘We know who we’re dealing with,’ Waltz claimed. ‘We know who we’re dealing with on all sides.’
The national security adviser said the U.S. will continue to negotiate and use ‘carrots and sticks to get both sides to the table.’
He would not say however whether the U.S. would put sanctions on Russia after Trump made the threat last week on social media.
The questions over whether the U.S. really can secure a deal comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Waltz announced that Ukraine had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire if Russia also backs it after meeting with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
After announcement, Putin said Russia agrees with the proposal but also the deal ‘wasn’t complete.’
On Thursday, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin. He signaled Russia is open to a deal, but it still remains unclear exactly what demands Russia is making.
Rubio on Friday after the meeting would not say whether he trusts Putin, calling it an ‘irrelevant question’ from a reporter.
Appearing of Fox News Sunday, Waltz was asked if Russia was using delay tactics or moving toward a ceasefire.
Waltz counted by pointing out a few months ago ‘we essentially had no prospect of peace.’
‘We’re not talking about if this war is going to end, we’re negotiating how the war is going to end,’ he said.
Heinrich said it sounded like the U.S. does not know if Russia is delaying or not.
But in an interview on CNN on Sunday, Witkoff characterized his meeting with Putin last week as a ‘positive’ and ‘solution-based discussion.’
He said he expects a call between Trump and Putin this week.