President Donald Trump is "the only person in the world" who can negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin must ultimately agree to any deal, but Trump is the essential broker, the Oklahoma senator said in a Sunday televised interview.
"It takes two people to agree to a peace deal at this point. It's Putin and Zelenskyy," Mullin said. "However, the person and the only person in the world who can negotiate that is President Trump."
Mullin said Trump is increasing economic pressure on Russia, including by sanctioning oil and targeting countries that buy what he called "sanctioned" oil, to push Moscow to the negotiating table.
He said Russia's economy is "starting to weaken" and said it grew under former President Joe Biden's administration because the United States "turned a blind eye" to Russia's actions.
Mullin said Trump is also pressing Zelenskyy to identify what terms Ukraine can accept, adding that "it's not likely that Ukraine's going to be made whole."
Asked about comments from Iran's president suggesting the country is "at war" with the United States and Europe, Mullin called the remarks "rhetoric" and said Iran lacks the ability to back up the threats, though he noted Tehran's ties to militant groups.
"They may be terrorists, but they're not suicidal, not the leadership," Mullin said.
Mullin also voiced full support for Trump's approach toward Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro, after host Cheryl Casone cited a New York Times opinion piece dated Dec. 26 that described Venezuela as being run by criminals posing as a government.
"Absolutely, 100% back the president on this," Mullin said, accusing Maduro of turning the government into a "terrorist organization" and enabling drug trafficking through Venezuela.
"The only way to actually stabilize this is that Maduro has to leave," Mullin said, adding that the United States should apply pressure at the source of illicit drug flows.
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