The Daily Star Ireland
President-elect Donald Trump has urged an immediate ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, describing the ongoing conflict as “madness.” Following his first meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, Trump emphasized the need for negotiations to halt the violence.
Trump, who has pledged to seek a negotiated resolution to the war, has yet to elaborate on his proposed approach. He claimed that Kyiv had suffered the loss of around 400,000 soldiers and insisted that talks should commence immediately. He expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin should act now and suggested that China could play a role in facilitating peace.
In Paris, Trump met Zelensky for an hour alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, although details about the substance of their discussion were not disclosed. Both French and Ukrainian officials described the meeting as positive and productive.
Zelensky responded to Trump’s call for peace, emphasizing that any agreement must come with solid guarantees. He asserted that peace cannot simply be declared on paper without robust assurances to prevent future conflicts. Zelensky highlighted that Ukrainians desire peace more than anyone and that any ceasefire without guarantees would be insufficient, citing past instances where hostilities resumed after temporary truces.
Trump’s statement about 400,000 Ukrainian soldier casualties appears to include both deaths and injuries. Zelensky clarified that the conflict has resulted in 43,000 soldiers killed and 370,000 wounded. He stressed the importance of reliable peace measures to prevent further suffering and avoid overlooking ongoing occupations.
