Washington- US President Donald Trump has declared that the world is no longer facing the danger of the Ukraine conflict escalating into World War III.

In a podcast on Wednesday, Trump said the war was “raging” and “heading to World War III” when he took office earlier this year, but now “you’re not going to have that anymore.”

Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for fueling the conflict by supporting Ukraine’s NATO ambitions despite Russia’s objections. Since returning to office, Trump has reopened high-level talks with Moscow and met directly with President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, calling the discussions “very productive.”

On Monday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders held talks with Trump in Washington. The White House said there is now “light at the end of the tunnel” and a real chance for lasting peace, though the process will take time.

Russia has long accused NATO of turning the war into a proxy conflict, but Russian officials, including Putin, have welcomed Trump’s “sincere” effort to seek peace.