Trump Signals Possible Meeting with Putin, Hints at Quick End to Ukraine Conflict
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is in the works, according to a report by Reuters. “He wants to meet, and we’re working on it” Trump said at a meeting with Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday.
Trump also expressed his views on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating that the war has resulted in the deaths of millions of soldiers, a number he claims is higher than reported by the media. He added that the war would not have occurred if he were president and that he would try to end it as soon as possible.
The date for the potential meeting with Putin has not been set, but Trump emphasized that he would prefer to wait until after his inauguration to meet with the Russian leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump’s comments on the Ukraine conflict have sparked concerns in Kiev, with some fearing that a quick peace agreement could lead to unfavorable concessions to Russia. Trump’s advisors have proposed plans to end the conflict, which include territorial concessions to Russia, according to Reuters.
The Trump administration’s approach to the conflict in Ukraine is still unclear, with the Biden administration having pledged over 175 billion U.S. dollars in aid to Ukraine since the conflict began. It is uncertain whether this level of support would be maintained under a Trump presidency, given his stated desire to end the conflict quickly.
In a separate statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow denied that the Russian government had received a request from Trump to meet with Putin, stating that Putin has repeatedly expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue and has emphasized the need for such a dialogue. However, Peskow added that it would be more appropriate to wait until after Trump’s inauguration before scheduling a meeting.