每日精读 特朗普称赞普京精明

以下文章来自WX公注号“英语跃进”

Former President Donald Trump has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin's moves in Ukraine, calling him "savvy," after the Kremlin recognized the independence of two breakaway, Russian separatist-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine.

前总统唐纳德·特朗普赞扬俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京在乌克兰的行动，称他“精明”，此前克里姆林宫承认乌克兰东部两个由亲俄势力控制的地区独立。

"I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.' Putin declares a big portion ... of Ukraine, Putin declares it as independent," Trump said in an interview Tuesday on the conservative Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.

特朗普周二在保守派克莱·特拉维斯和巴克·塞克斯顿的节目中接受采访时说：“我昨天进来的时候看到一个电视屏幕，我说，‘这是天才。’普京宣布乌克兰的很大一部分……普京宣布它独立。”

The former president was referencing two rebel-controlled territories, Luhansk and Donetsk, which comprise a larger region called Donbas that borders Russia. The two territories have been led by pro-Russia separatists for nearly a decade.

这位前总统指的是叛军控制的两个地区，卢甘斯克和顿涅茨克，这两个地区组成了面积更大的顿巴斯地区并与俄罗斯接壤。近十年来，这两个地区一直由亲俄分裂势力领导。

Putin on Monday recognized the independence of the two territories and ordered Russian troops to conduct "peacekeeping" operations there — sparking international concern that the Kremlin was readying for an attack.

普京周一承认这两个地区的独立，并命令俄罗斯军队在那里开展“维和”行动——这引发了国际社会对克里姆林宫准备发动袭击的担忧。

"So, Putin is now saying, 'It's independent,' a large section of Ukraine. I said, 'How smart is that?' And he's gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That's [the] strongest peace force," Trump said, adding that that was the kind of show of force the United States could use on its southern border.

"所以，普京现在说，'它是独立的，'这是乌克兰很大的一部分领土。我说，'这有多聪明？他会派遣军队并成为维和人员，这是强大的和平力量，"特朗普说到，并补充说，这也是美国可以在其南部边境使用的那种武力展示。

Trump's remarks come as tensions in Ukraine have escalated and the U.S. has ordered sanctions to try to kneecap Russia's ability to do business with the West.

特朗普发表上述言论之际，正值乌克兰紧张局势升级，美国已下令实施制裁，试图削弱俄罗斯与西方进行经济交往的能力。

重点词汇

savvy /ˈsævi/ adj. <非正式>聪慧的，有经验的

escalate /ˈeskəleɪt/ v. （使）变得严重，（使）升级

kneecap /ˈniːkæp/ n. 护膝  v. 破坏