WASHINGTON — President Trump said in a new interview published Friday that his 2024 campaign claim that he’d settle the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day in office “was said in jest.”

Trump told Time magazine that he was speaking figuratively with his repeated promise.

“Well, I said that figuratively, and I said that as an exaggeration, because to make a point,” said Trump,  who will mark his 100th day in office April 30.

“Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended.”

The commander-in-chief flared up when asked in the wide-ranging interview about his pledge to swiftly end the 38-month-old war.

“Well, I don’t think it’s long. I mean, look, I got here three months ago. This war has been going on for three years,” Trump responded when asked what was taking so long to halt Europe’s bloodiest conflict since the end of World War II.

“It’s a war that would have never happened if I was president. It’s Biden’s war. It’s not my war. I have nothing to do with it. I would have never had this war. This war would have never happened. Putin would have never done it. This war would have never happened.”

“You then say, what’s taking so long? Do you hear this, Steve? The war has been raging for three years. I just got here, and you say, what’s taken so long?” he continued.

Asked about his campaign promise to broker peace on day one of his administration, Trump insisted he had been speaking “figuratively” at the time.

“I said that as an exaggeration, because to make a point, and you know, it gets, of course, by the fake news [unintelligible]. Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended,” he said.

Here's what Russia and Ukraine each get in Trump's 'final offer' peace deal

What Russia gets

• Formal US recognition of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula as Russian territory — a major departure from Washington’s longstanding Welles doctrine, which refuses to acknowledge annexed territory as belonging to the seizing power.
• “De facto” recognition of Russia’s occupation of four regions in eastern Ukraine, meaning the US would acknowledge Moscow controls the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts while formally considering them Ukrainian land.
• A pledge that the US would not support Ukraine becoming a member of NATO.
• Lifting sanctions to boost Russia’s economy, which has struggled throughout its war on Ukraine.
• Opportunities for more economic cooperation with the US, especially in the energy and industrial fields.

What Ukraine gets

• Assistance from European military forces as “a robust security guarantee” following a cease-fire. The US would not be involved in this measure.
• Russia would return a small portion of Ukraine’s Kharkiv oblast currently occupied by Moscow.
• Navigation rights in the Dnieper River, which runs along the front lines.
• Assistance in post-war rebuilding, though it is unclear from where that funding would come.
  
  
  
  
  

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Still, Trump was adamant that peace was possible under his watch.

“I think with me as president, there’s — possible, if very probable. If somebody else is president, no chance,” he responded when asked if peace was attainable with Putin as president.

“I think Putin would rather do it a different way. I think he’d rather go and take the whole thing. And I think that because of me, I believe I’m the only one that can get this thing negotiated. And I think we’re a long way. We’ve had very good talks, and we’re getting very close to a deal. And I don’t believe anybody else could have made that deal.” 

The remarks came a day after Trump had blasted his Russian counterpart for bombing Ukraine in defiance of attempts to broker peace, urging him to “STOP!”

“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” Trump raged in a Truth Social post on Thursday after Moscow launched its deadliest attack on Ukraine in almost a year. “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”

Elsewhere on Thursday, Trump had told reporters “I have my own deadline” for ending the war — as his administration continues to try and broker a ceasefire deal between the two countries.