Trump dials Putin, advises him not to escalate Ukraine war
Trump encouraged Putin to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict during a recent phone call, highlighting US military strength in Europe.
US President-elect Donald Trump has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to not escalate the war in Ukraine, the Washington Post reported. He made the remarks during a phone call from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, just days after his emphatic election victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
During the call, Trump reportedly reminded Putin of the substantial US military presence in Europe and expressed interest in further discussions aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine. According to several anonymous sources cited by the Post, Trump emphasized the need for an end to the conflict and signaled a willingness to engage in future talks with Moscow on the issue.
The conversation came on the heels of Trump's Wednesday call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which also included tech mogul Elon Musk. Zelensky described the call as "excellent," expressing optimism about continued dialogue and cooperation with the incoming administration.
Russia-Ukraine war
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has now raged for over two and a half years, remains a pivotal issue in global geopolitics. In recent months, both sides in the war have made moves seen as possible efforts to gain leverage ahead of eventual negotiations, with Ukraine seizing a chunk of Russian territory and Moscow's troops making advances in Ukraine.
This weekend brought the biggest drone attacks yet from both sides.
Russia fired 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, Zelensky said, while Russia said it had downed 34 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow on Sunday.
A Changing Landscape
Trump's election is seen as carrying the potential to upend the almost three-year Ukraine conflict, as he insists on a quick end to the fighting and casts doubt on Washington's multi-billion dollar support for Kyiv.
The outgoing Democratic administration of President Joe Biden has confirmed that it will send as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump's inauguration on January 20.
On Sunday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reaffirmed President Joe Biden's commitment to Ukraine, stressing the need for continued US support until Biden's final day in office. "We aim to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield," Sullivan said in an interview with 'Face the Nation'.
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