US President Donald Trump said he doesn’t think it would be necessary to order a mission to capture Russian President Vladimir Putin, replying to a question about whether he would ever take such an action.
The remarks followed a direct question on whether he would ever authorise a mission to capture Putin. “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary,” he said, playing down the idea.
Referring to his ties with the Russian President, Trump said, “I’ve always had a great relationship with him [Putin].” However, he stated, “I’m very disappointed."
“I settled eight wars; I thought this was going to be in the middle of the pack or maybe one of the easier ones. Last month, they've lost 31,000 people, many of them Russian soldiers and the Russian economy is doing poorly,” Trump said.
TRUMP: I DON’T THINK CAPTURING PUTIN WILL BE NECESSARY This came up when Trump was asked directly whether he’d ever order a mission to capture Putin. "I don't think it's going to be necessary. I've always had a great relationship with him [Putin]. I'm very disappointed. " pic.twitter.com/tCKcAva7fH— Shakeel Yasar Ullah (@yasarullah) January 10, 2026
The comments follow recent US developments in Venezuela, where American forces carried out a military operation to capture former leader Nicolas Maduro and take him to the United States to face federal drug-trafficking charges.
Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s interior minister, said Maduro was wounded in the leg, while his wife Cilia Flores, detained alongside him during the raid, sustained a head injury.
At the same time, as geopolitical equations shift and bilateral ties remain strained, a senior Trump administration official said the White House is open to permitting India to buy Venezuelan oil under a new framework overseen by the US.
Weighing in on the capture of Maduro, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared to allude to Putin, remarking that if this is how a “dictator” is dealt with, the “United States knows what to do next.”
Responding to questions about those remarks and whether he would consider ordering a mission to capture Putin, Trump said he did not think it would be necessary.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
