Trump’s Call for Peace in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

WASHINGTON—On Friday, former President Donald Trump expressed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that it is essential to halt the violence in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This remark followed a similar message he conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin just a day earlier.

After his meeting with Zelensky, Trump took to Truth Social to share insights about their discussions, which included a joint press conference held in the Cabinet room.

Trump wrote, “My meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was very interesting and cordial. But I told him, just as I strongly suggested to President Putin, it’s time to stop the killing and make a deal.” He emphasized the need to end the bloodshed, stating, “The lines have been drawn and enough blood has been spilled by War and Guts. They should stay where they are. Let both sides claim victory and let history decide! No more shootings, no more deaths, no more huge and unsustainable amounts of money spent.”

Moreover, Trump labeled the situation as genocide, asserting that if he had been president in 2022, the conflict would never have started. “This is a war that would never have started if I were president. Thousands of people are being slaughtered every week. No more, go home to your families in peace!” he added.

Later, Trump is set to meet with Putin in Budapest next week, following discussions between high-level advisors from both nations.

When asked by Breitbart News about the upcoming discussions, Trump suggested that the success of the Middle East peace deal might set a positive tone for these talks. “We have a lot of momentum and confidence. It was very important to get the Middle East thing done. No one thought we could do it. And we did it,” he said. He noted that a significant aspect of that achievement was a military operation against Iran, involving advanced aircraft.

He reflected on the coalition that supported the Middle East effort, remarking, “Yeah, I don’t think anyone expected that to happen. We had 59 countries involved, and we had very diverse countries… It was a lot of people. Once we set the table properly, we got it done very quickly.” Trump emphasized his belief that a solid foundation has been established for the current discussions, sharing a sense of optimism regarding the situation in Ukraine and Russia. He remarked, “It’s a great honor to get it done, and the Ukrainian people are great, the Russian people are great, and obviously they have a lot in common.”