Is Crimea Russian? Trump to Poroshenko

“Tell me, is Crimea Russian?” Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko recounted to The New York Times how Donald Trump unexpectedly posed this question during their meeting. According to Poroshenko, during one of the meetings in Trump’s first term, the U.S. President asked if he could receive an honest answer to that question. 

Poroshenko agreed to this request. Trump then leaned in closer and asked, “Tell me, is Crimea Russian?”

“Trump can ask unexpected questions; I can say that, even impolitely,” Poroshenko noted. At the same time, Poroshenko did not disclose what answer he provided to Trump.