Trump calls for ceasefire in Ukraine: 'Could go on forever'
President-elect Donald Trump has called for a ceasefire and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in light of the heavy losses on both sides in nearly three years of conflict.
In a post made to his Truth Social account early Sunday, Trump mentioned the recent overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by rebels in Syria over the weekend.
"Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place," wrote Trump.
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"They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."
Trump stated that "Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success."
"Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians," he added, saying that he knew Russian President Vladimir Putin "well" and that it was "his time to act."
"There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse."
On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine under the guise of protecting pro-Russian communities in the eastern portion of the Eastern European nation.
The Ukrainians under Zelensky offered a stiffer-than-expected resistance, inflicting considerable losses on Russia and later launching a counter-invasion in the Kursk region.
Since Trump's reelection, some, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, believe that the Republican president-elect could help end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In an interview with the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne published last month, Zelensky expressed optimism over Trump's election, saying he was "on the side of supporting Ukraine."
Zelensky said that "with the policies of the team that will now lead the White House, the war will end sooner," though he admitted that he did not have an "exact date" for such.
"I think Putin does not want peace. But this does not mean that he does not want to sit down at the negotiating table with one of the leaders. For him, this is the destruction of political isolation. It is beneficial for him to sit down and talk," he stated.
Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met with Zelensky in Paris on Saturday as many world leaders gathered in France to celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
The trilateral meeting, proposed by Macron and hastily put together, occurred at the Élysée Palace shortly before the cathedral ceremony, France 24 reported, with Zelensky describing the discussion as "good and productive."
