Trump and Putin set to engage as Ukraine conflict evolves
Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said the team is preparing for a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He added that phone conversations between Putin and Trump could take place in the near future.
Waltz confirmed on the ABC television program that preparations are already underway, without specifying possible dates or the format of the meeting. He also added that he expects a phone call between Trump and Putin in the coming "days and weeks."
The Kremlin on the meeting with Trump
On Friday, Trump stated that Putin wanted to meet with him and that both sides were already working on resolving this issue. Meanwhile, Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov noted that these words were merely a response to a hypothetical question from journalists.
- Apparently, there will be some movements in this direction after Trump enters the Oval Cabinet [in the White House], said Peskov.
Waltz added that the elected President of the USA, Donald Trump, believes that reaching an agreement on Ukraine is impossible without establishing dialogue with Russia.
President Trump views dialogue and a relationship with the opposing side as essential for reaching an agreement. On ABC's television program, Waltz mentioned that efforts in this direction would continue in the coming months.
A Trump representative emphasized that Kyiv struggles with staffing shortages "because their recruitment age is not even 18 years."
Kyiv is struggling with significant human resource issues, as the recruitment age appears to be below 18. Reflecting on the moral challenges and the conditions at the frontlines, he emphasized that if Ukrainians appeal to the global community for complete support of democracy, their actions should align with those democratic principles.
He stressed that "it is unrealistic to say that we are going to expel every Russian from every square meter of Ukrainian land."
- Even in Crimea—President Trump acknowledged this reality, emphasized Waltz.
The Biden administration on the right to territorial decisions
Shortly before, on CNN, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser to US President Joe Biden, stated that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine should ensure Kyiv retains the authority to make territorial decisions and include security guarantees to prevent future hostilities.
Sullivan emphasized that a fair agreement requires Ukraine to independently determine its territorial, national, and freedom-related matters without external forces, including the United States, imposing their decisions.
He also emphasized that after the end of hostilities, they should not resume after a few months, "if Russia simply decides to continue where it left off."
He stressed that to avoid such an outcome, the West needs to provide Ukraine with adequate security guarantees.
