US Republican President-elect Donald Trump plans to "bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table" immediately after returning to the White House.
This is stated in an Associated Press article about Trump's likely plans immediately after his inauguration on 20 January 2025.
Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, told Fox News that after Trump was declared the winner of the election, he would be able to "negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine".
She later stated: "on day one, that includes getting Ukraine and Russia to the table to end this war."
At the start of his second term, Trump also plans to begin mass deportations of migrants; reverse the Biden administration's education policy, including protections for transgender students; reorganise the federal government by firing thousands of federal employees who he believes are secretly working against him; and pardon people arrested for participating in the 6 January 2021 riots in the Capitol.
- Yesterday, the Washington Post reported, citing sources, that Trump had a conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The US president-elect advised Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of the significant US military presence in Europe.
- This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with the Republican. Afterwards, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced that a meeting between the two leaders was planned.
- The Wall Street Journal wrote that Trump's advisers have four versions of freezing the war in Ukraine, including giving up the occupied land.
- According to the journalists, more traditionally-minded allies will insist on a settlement that will not bring a major victory to the Russians. Other advisers, such as the main candidate for the post of Secretary of State, Richard Grenell, may insist on ending the war as soon as possible, even if Ukraine has to make significant concessions.
- The versions of ending the war being developed recommend freezing the war at its current location, i.e. giving back to the occupiers the territories they have already captured - more than 20%.
- One previously unknown idea proposed in Trump's transition office, described in detail by three people, involved a promise by Kyiv not to join NATO for at least 20 years. In exchange, the US would continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to repel enemy attacks. According to this plan, the front line would be effectively fixed in its current location, and both sides would agree to a "demilitarised zone". It remains unclear who will guard this territory, but one adviser said that the peacekeeping force will not include US or UN troops.