Verified assertion: Trump erroneously declares that Harris held talks with Putin prior to Ukraine's invasion.
In a North Carolina speech, Trump stated, "Don't you remember when Biden had Kamala visit Europe to put a stop to the Ukraine conflict? She met with Putin, and three days later, he attacked! How effective do you think she was? She went to talk with Putin, telling him not to act up, but three days later, he launched an attack! And that's when the war started. Did you know that, General?" (Retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was present at the North Carolina event.)
Set the Facts Straight: Trump's claim is inaccurate. Harris never interacted with Putin. In reality, she engaged with US allies, such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during the Munich Security Conference prior to Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Putin was not in attendance at the conference.
Last month, a Kremlin spokesperson explained, "To be honest, I can't remember a single conversation between President Putin and Mrs. Harris." This statement was reported by a Russian state-owned news agency.
The Biden administration was in the process of dissuading a Ukrainian invasion at the time of Harris' trip to the 2022 Munich conference in Germany. Top administration officials, including President Biden himself, indicated that they believed Putin was poised to invade. In fact, Biden commented to reporters while Harris was on her way to Germany that he thought a Russian attack would occur within the "next several days."
According to CNN, when the Munich conference began, a senior administration official outlined Harris' three primary objectives: "Focus on the rapidly changing situation on the ground, maintain harmony with partners, and convey a clear message to Russia that the US values diplomacy but is prepared for Russian aggression."
The Munich conference took place from February 18 to February 20, 2022; Russia commenced its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Despite Trump's assertions, the politics surrounding the Ukraine conflict did not involve Kamala Harris meeting with Putin. In fact, Harris was engaging in diplomacy with US allies at the 2022 Munich Security Conference, where she emphasized the importance of diplomacy and preparedness in the face of Russian aggression.
