Trump Calls for Ukraine Ceasefire After Meeting Zelensky and Macron
Former US President Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, expressing optimism that Kyiv and Moscow are ready to negotiate a peace deal. Trump, speaking on his Truth Social platform, claimed that both sides “have lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in a war that should never have started”.
The call for a ceasefire comes after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Saturday. In his Truth Social post, Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to act swiftly: “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed.”
Zelensky described the meeting as “constructive” but stressed that Ukraine needs a “just and robust peace”. Speaking on Telegram, Zelensky cautioned against any agreement that Russia could easily violate: “When we talk about an effective peace with Russia, we must talk, first of all, about effective peace guarantees. Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else. Russia brought war to our land.”
While the Kremlin signaled openness to talks, reminding Zelensky’s earlier decree declaring talks impossible with Putin as leader, Ukrainian officials maintain that Russia must fully withdraw troops from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, before negotiations can commence.
Zelensky also revealed on Sunday that Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers and 370,000 have been injured since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022. Both Russia and Ukraine have been guarded about casualty figures, although Western estimates suggest heavy losses on both sides in recent months.
The call for peace comes amidst mounting pressure for diplomatic solutions. Will this be the push towards negotiations needed to finally end the devastating conflict? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for further updates.
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