In a recent appearance at the America Fest convention organized by Turning Point, President-elect Donald Trump shared that Russian President Vladimir Putin has reached out with a proposal for a face-to-face meeting concerning the ongoing war with Ukraine. “President Putin expressed his desire to meet with me as soon as we can arrange it,” Trump noted, emphasizing the urgency by stating, “We really need to bring this war to an end. It’s dreadful, absolutely dreadful.”
Trump, who will step back into the Oval Office in January, previously claimed during his campaign that he could resolve the conflict “within 24 hours” if elected. He’s been vocal about his objections to President Joe Biden’s recent decision, which permits Ukraine to utilize U.S.-supplied weaponry for strikes within Russian borders.
The incoming president has hinted at a potential reduction in military aid to Ukraine once he assumes office. At present, Ukraine’s capability to persist as a sovereign state, staving off Russia, heavily depends on extensive military support and humanitarian assistance from international allies, especially given the prolonged nature of the conflict, now nearing its third year.
Commenting on the human cost of the war, Trump remarked, “The casualty numbers are heartbreaking. The battlefields, they’re flat expanses, and lethal ammunition is being fired. It’s tragic that these powerful weapons meet their end only by hitting flesh and blood.”
Not long ago, Trump engaged in discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, coinciding with the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral. Following these talks, Trump strongly advocated for an “immediate ceasefire.”
This report includes contributions from NBC News.
