A revealing new report claims that former President Donald Trump sought the counsel of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding U.S. military aid to Ukraine during their first face-to-face meeting in 2017. According to The New York Times, Trump asked Putin, “What do you think?” when the two met in Hamburg, Germany, just seven months into Trump’s presidency.

The meeting took place amidst escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Trump, who had been critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and expressed admiration for Putin on several occasions, reportedly considered whether the U.S. should provide weapons to Ukraine and sought Putin’s opinion on the matter.

In response, the Russian leader reportedly cautioned Trump against arming Ukraine, warning that it would only lead to further demands from the country. Trump did not challenge Putin’s position during the discussion, according to sources.

The Hamburg summit, attended by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, is described by officials as a pivotal moment in Putin’s efforts to influence Trump’s view of Ukraine. According to The New York Times, Putin portrayed Ukraine as a “corrupt” and “fabricated country” and insisted that Russia had the right to assert control over its neighbor.

Officials with knowledge of the meeting suggest that the exchange marked the beginning of Trump’s shifting stance on Ukraine, which would later become a key point of contention during his presidency. Tillerson, who was privy to the discussions, reportedly told White House aides afterward: “We’ve got work to do to change the president’s mind on Ukraine.”

Fiona Hill, a former member of Trump’s National Security Council staff, told The Times that Putin’s meeting with Trump was a calculated effort by the Russian leader to sow doubt about Ukraine in the mind of the relatively new president. “Putin was basically telling [Trump] that you can’t trust Ukraine, and don’t give them anything,” Hill said, adding that Tillerson referred to the Russian president’s behavior as “K.G.B. shtick.”

Despite the concerns raised by top officials, Trump remained steadfast in his belief that his relationship with Putin was an asset. Throughout his presidency, Trump repeatedly asserted that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine had he been in office, a claim he has reiterated in recent months.

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