Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia to end “the madness” in the region.
The president-elect’s message, which he shared on Truth Social, came hours after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy in Paris. Trump vowed during the presidential campaign to bring an end to the conflict but has provided few details as to how.
“Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.”
“I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” Trump added, referring to Russian President Putin.
The comments came in a post that said that the rebel forces who ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime overnight were successful because Russia lost interest in protecting Assad because the country was focused on winning in Ukraine.
Russia, Ukraine name ceasefire conditions
Zelenskyy and the Kremlin responded that a ceasefire must come with conditions to ensure it lasts.
“When we talk about effective peace with Russia, we must first and foremost talk about effective guarantees for peace. Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else. Russia brought war to our land, and it is Russia that most seeks to disrupt the possibility of peace,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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“It cannot simply end with a piece of paper and a few signatures. A ceasefire without guarantees can be reignited at any moment, as Putin has already done before,” he said. “To ensure that Ukrainians no longer suffer losses, we must guarantee the reliability of peace and not turn a blind eye to occupation.”
Reuters reported Sunday that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia was open to talks, if they are based on agreements Putin says were reached in Istanbul in 2022 shortly after Russia invaded its neighboring country and on current battlefield realities.
