Journalist who interviewed Ryan Routh in Ukraine describes meeting an 'idealistic' man

 Newsweek Romania journalist Remus Cernea, who met the man detained in connection with an apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Ukraine on several occasions, told CNN he was surprised by Ryan Routh’s involvement in the incident.

“For me, it’s a surprise because I viewed him as an idealistic innocent genuine person, without any murderous instinct,” Cernea said.

Cernea first met Routh in Kyiv’s Independence Square in June of 2022, where Routh was rallying people to join the foreign legion or to help Ukraine through various humanitarian aid organizations.

At the time, Routh gave Newsweek Romania an interview where he said:

“To me a lot of other conflicts are gray, but this conflict is definitely black and white. This is about good versus evil.”

When Cernea met Routh again about a year later, he said, Routh was visibly frustrated that more people had not come to Ukraine’s help.

“Why aren’t there thousands of people here in Kyiv coming to support and join the foreign legion, why aren’t they here?” Cernea remembers him lamenting.

“It’s a very sad story for the whole world, for the US, and for Ryan,” Cernea said