Trump hints at Ukraine concession to Russia amid ruins
President-elect Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to Russia, given the scale of destruction in the occupied areas. He added that he might reverse the decision permitting Ukraine to use American missiles to attack Russia.
- You know it’s nice to say they want their land back, but the cities are largely destroyed - said Trump during a Monday press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
When later asked whether he believes Ukraine should concede its territories to Russia, he replied, "We’ll be talking to President Putin, and we’ll be talking to President Zelenskyy and representatives from Ukraine. We’ve got to stop it."
There are cities where not a single building remains standing, so people cannot return there, he said, emphasising that the scale of devastation and casualties necessitates an end to this war. He also added that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, desires peace.
He conceded that resolving the conflict would be challenging and once again expressed his displeasure over Joe Biden's decision, which permitted Ukraine to use American ATACMS ballistic missiles against targets inside Russia.
Trump on Biden's decision: A big mistake
He claimed that this decision "brought in the Koreans," although in reality, it was a reaction to the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war.
- I don’t think that should have been allowed. Certainly not just weeks before I take over. I thought it was a very stupid thing to do - he evaluated. When asked if, upon returning to power, he would reverse this decision, he indicated that he might do so.
Trump announced that he is "working every day to put the world at ease a little bit, to get rid of the wars." He also stated that he would meet with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, yet once more declined to answer whether - as "The Washington Post" reported - he had already spoken with the Russian president.
