Trump's team prepares for Putin meeting amid Ukraine tensions
Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said the team is preparing for a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He noted that phone conversations between Putin and Trump could occur in the near future.
Waltz confirmed on the ABC television program that preparations are already underway, without specifying possible dates or the format of the meeting. He also added that he expects a phone call between Trump and Putin in the coming "days and weeks."
The Kremlin on the meeting with Trump
On Friday, Trump stated that Putin wants to meet with him and that both sides are already working on resolving this issue. Meanwhile, Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov noted that these words were merely a response to a purely hypothetical question from journalists.
- Apparently, there will be some movements in this direction after Trump enters the Oval Cabinet [in the White House] - said Peskov.
Waltz added that the elected President of the U.S., Donald Trump, believes that reaching an agreement on Ukraine is impossible without establishing dialogue with Russia.
President Trump believes that reaching an agreement requires dialogue and building a relationship with the opposing side. Waltz stated on ABC's television program that efforts toward this goal would continue in the coming months.
A Trump representative emphasized that Kyiv struggles with staffing shortages "because their recruitment age is not even 18 years."
Kyiv is experiencing significant challenges with human resources, as the recruitment age is reportedly below 18. Commenting on the moral struggles and the situation at the front, he remarked that if Ukrainians are urging the global community to support democracy fully, their actions should reflect that commitment.
He stressed that "it is unrealistic to say that we are going to expel every Russian from every square meter of Ukrainian land."
- Even in Crimea—President Trump acknowledged this reality—emphasized Waltz.
The Biden administration on the right to territorial decisions
Shortly before, on CNN, US President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine "should leave the right to territorial decisions to Kyiv and provide security guarantees to prevent the resumption of hostilities."
Sullivan highlighted that a fair agreement entails Ukraine independently deciding on matters related to its territory, sovereignty, and freedom, without external powers, including the United States, dictating those choices.
He also emphasized that after the end of hostilities, they should not resume after a few months "if Russia simply decides to continue where it left off."
He pointed out that the West must ensure Ukraine receives adequate security guarantees to prevent such an outcome.
