President Donald Trump said he hopes brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine will land him a spot in heaven.
Speaking with Fox and Friends just one day after hosting European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House, Trump hinted that helping end the war could also benefited him. The leaders met as Trump continues to push for an end of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty– I want to try to get to heaven if possible, I’m hearing that I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole,” Trump joked.
“But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons,” he added.
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to broker peace between the two countries and end the war that began more than three and a half years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. Recently, Trump has also stated that he would like to win a Nobel Peace Prize and believes he is deserving of one for his efforts in helping to relieve tension between several countries.
But ending one of the largest conflicts to occur in recent years would be a massive success that could get the president his long-desired award – or access to heaven.
However, Trump has struggled to convince Russia to get to the peace talks table.
Last week, the U.S. president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since 2019. Conducting an in-person meeting in Alaska, the two leaders began discussing what it would take for Russia to initiate peace negotiations with Ukraine. Putin has made it clear that Moscow is not willing to initiate an immediate ceasefire – something other European leaders and Trump have endorsed. Russia would also likely require Ukraine to give up some of its territory in exchange for ending the violence that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives.
Discussions between Putin, Trump, Zelensky and other European leaders are likely to continue in the coming days and weeks as the U.S. attempts to broker a deal to end the deadly war.
Trump appears motivated to broker peace between the two countries – if not for the sake of the world, for the sake of himself.
Trump is a practicing non-denominational Christian and has previously said that he believes he can get into heaven by doing good.
“If I’m good, I’m going to Heaven and if I’m bad, I’m going someplace else – like over there, right?” Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last year.
