President-elect Donald Trump revealed Thursday evening that discussions are underway to arrange a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the goal of ending the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised to end the nearly three-year-old conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. The war, which has caused widespread devastation and significant geopolitical tensions, remains one of the most pressing global issues.
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“Putin wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. “We have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess.”
While Trump provided no specific timeline for the meeting, the announcement marks a significant step toward potential negotiations to resolve the conflict.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded Friday, stating that while the Kremlin had not yet received an official request for contact, Putin is ready to meet with Trump without any preconditions, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
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Despite Trump’s confident campaign rhetoric, the timeline for resolving the conflict may extend beyond his initial pledge. According to unnamed European officials cited by the Financial Times, Trump’s team has indicated that the process to end the war could take “several months.”
The officials also noted that Trump has not yet solidified a strategy for ending the war and suggested that U.S. military aid to Ukraine might continue after Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s statements come amid increasing international attention on the war in Ukraine, with both allies and adversaries closely watching how his administration will handle the complex dynamics of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently expressed optimism about Trump’s ability to facilitate a resolution, calling his approach to ending the war “promising.”
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While the meeting between Trump and Putin remains in the preliminary stages, it could mark a critical turning point in the conflict. Both domestic and international stakeholders will be closely monitoring the developments, as any negotiations could reshape the geopolitical landscape and potentially bring an end to one of the most destructive wars in recent history.
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