Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly exchanged phone calls about the continuing conflict in Ukraine on Thursday, cautioning him against further escalation, according to resources with knowledge of the conversation. Trump also made a major US military presence known to Putin.
According to several media reports, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a conversation on Wednesday.
Trump previously stated during his national campaign that he could “end the war within a day,” but he did not provide any distinct solutions during this call.
The foreign ministry of Ukraine refuted says that Trump and Putin knew about the phone before it took place.
The Ukrainian side’s claims that it was informed of the reported contact are untrue. Therefore, Ukraine was unable to support or reject the request, according to Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesman for the foreign government.
Also read: Biden to urge Trump ‘not walk away from Ukraine’ in key meeting
Federal safety assistant Jake Sullivan added that in his approaching meeting with Trump, US President Joe Biden stated that he is committed to ensuring a smooth transfer of power. In the next 70 days, President Biden will have the opportunity to make a case to Congress and the approaching leadership that the United States should never leave Ukraine, as leaving Ukraine would lead to more unrest in Europe, he said.
Putin and Trump met on Friday, but the Kremlin stressed that this did not change Moscow’s requirements. Putin’s words for ending the war, which were set out on June 14, include forbidding Ukraine to join NATO and removing its forces from Russia’s four areas.
Ukraine, however, has rejected these expectations, deeming them intolerable. A “victory plan” that includes greater military aid from American friends has been suggested by Klensky.
