Trump Calls for Ceasefire in Ukraine Conflict During Paris Talks
Paris, The Gulf Observer: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has urged an immediate ceasefire and the initiation of negotiations to end the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, describing the situation as “madness.”
Trump’s comments on Sunday followed his first face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Paris. While details of the discussions were not disclosed, both sides characterized the talks as “good and productive.”
In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump asserted that Ukraine seeks a deal to halt the conflict, claiming Kyiv had lost approximately 400,000 soldiers—a figure later clarified to include both killed and wounded.
Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action and suggested that China could play a role in facilitating peace. Zelenskiy, however, emphasized that peace must include guarantees to prevent further aggression. “A ceasefire without guarantees can be reignited at any moment, as Putin has done before,” Zelenskiy stated, affirming Ukraine’s commitment to peace while rejecting any agreement that neglects Russian occupation or lacks robust assurances.
Zelenskiy cited Ukraine’s own casualty figures as 43,000 soldiers killed and 370,000 wounded.
The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, reiterated its openness to negotiations, contingent on adherence to the Istanbul agreements of 2022 and the current battlefield dynamics. Peskov highlighted that Ukraine’s formal ban on negotiations with Russian leadership would need to be reversed to enable meaningful dialogue.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained that any peace settlement must ensure Ukraine remains outside NATO and confirm Russian control over four Ukrainian regions currently only partially occupied by Russian forces.
Despite entrenched positions, the Kremlin referred to earlier preliminary agreements as a potential foundation for renewed talks, signaling a slim opening for future negotiations.
