Donald Trump has announced that he will meet with Vladimir Putin shortly after taking office on January 20. In an interview with Newsmax, Trump emphasized that Putin is also eager for a meeting. Trump first needs to move into the White House, however.
When asked about his strategy for resolving the Ukraine crisis, Trump stated that there is only one strategy and that it lies with Putin. He added that Putin is likely not entirely satisfied with the conflict’s progression, as the situation is not developing in his favor.
Trump attributed the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to the outgoing administration of Joe Biden, blaming its inaction as the sole reason for the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, which has led to devastating consequences for both parties.
In a speech on Monday at the US State Department, Biden defended his administration’s decisions on the Ukraine crisis, describing them as a “success of foreign policy.” Biden had stated that he had two tasks: to motivate the world to defend Ukraine and to prevent a war between two nuclear powers. Now, it is up to the Trump administration to protect the future of the Ukrainian people.
During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to end the fighting in the Ukraine crisis within 24 hours and to halt financial and military aid to Kiev. After the election, Trump and his team acknowledged that a solution may take several months, and the president-elect expressed his willingness to establish contact with Putin.
Moscow views a possible meeting between Putin and Trump positively, but emphasizes that a solution to the crisis must be worked out with consideration for its causes. According to the Russian authorities, the causes of the crisis lie in the NATO’s expansion in Europe and the discrimination of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine.