US President-elect Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end “the madness,” leading Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to assert that there can be no peace without guarantees.
Mr. Trump made his remarks shortly after meeting with Mr. Zelensky in Paris for their first in-person discussions since Mr. Trump was elected last month.
He vowed to work towards a negotiated resolution of the conflict, though specific details have yet to be disclosed.
“Zelensky and Ukraine want to make a deal and stop the madness,” Mr. Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social, noting that Kyiv had suffered approximately 400,000 military casualties. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations must commence.”
During his visit to Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Mr. Trump spent about an hour discussing with Mr. Zelensky, alongside host French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two leaders shook hands and exchanged smiles, but the nature of their discussion remains unclear. Accounts from both the French and Ukrainian sides indicated that the talks were positive and productive.
In response to Mr. Trump’s statement, Mr. Zelensky emphasized that lasting peace cannot be merely a formality but requires solid guarantees.
“When discussing effective peace with Russia, we must prioritize effective guarantees for peace. Ukrainians desire peace more than anyone else,” he expressed on X.
“The conflict cannot simply conclude with a piece of paper and some signatures. A ceasefire without guarantees can be reignited at any moment, as Putin has demonstrated before.”
“To ensure that Ukrainians no longer face losses, we must secure the reliability of peace and not ignore the issue of occupation.”
Mr. Trump’s estimate of 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers lost in the conflict likely includes both those killed and wounded. Mr. Zelensky reported that 43,000 soldiers have been killed and around 370,000 wounded during the war.
