During a news conference at the European Political Community summit in Budapest on Nov. 7, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was unaware of any specific details regarding U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan for a swift end to the Ukraine war.
The president noted during the conference that he believed Trump wanted to end the war with Russia quickly, but that he had not discussed a plan with him. "If it's just fast, it means losses for Ukraine. I just don't yet understand how this could be in any other way. Maybe we do not know something, do not see," he said.
Over the course of his campaign, Trump promised to end Russia's war with Ukraine if elected, saying in September that he would negotiate a deal "that's good for both sides." Trump also said that he had not yet spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but "I think we’ll speak."
The election victory of Donald Trump this week has intensified uncertainty around Ukraine’s war efforts at a critical time, as Russian forces make their fastest gains in months and North Korean troops are stationed in Russia’s Kursk region.
President Zelensky was among the first to congratulate the president-elect, who had criticized the extent of U.S. military and financial aid to Kyiv during his campaign and pledged to end the war swiftly, without providing details on how he would achieve this.
The United States has been Ukraine’s most vital ally in the conflict, and Zelensky has notably praised Trump’s electoral success in his statements. On the evening of Nov. 6, he spoke with Trump by phone and described the conversation as "excellent."
"Of course, we cannot yet know what his actions will be. But we do hope that America will become stronger," Zelensky added.
Chris York
