Trump Urges Putin To Not Escalate War In Ukraine

US President-elect Donald Trump reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him not to escalate the ongoing war in Ukraine. The conversation, held from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, came just days after his surprising election victory over Democratic contender Kamala Harris, as reported by The Washington Post.

During the call, which sources familiar with the discussion spoke about anonymously, Trump reportedly reminded Putin of the United States' substantial military presence in Europe. He also expressed a willingness to engage in further talks to explore "the resolution of Ukraine's war soon." The call marks Trump's continued push for a swift end to the conflict, with his stance on Ukraine likely set to reshape the global approach to the nearly three-year war.

Trump's victory in the US presidential election has generated considerable speculation about his foreign policy direction, particularly regarding Ukraine. The president-elect has repeatedly called for a rapid end to the war and has questioned the US's financial commitment to Ukraine, casting doubt on Washington’s multi-billion dollar aid to Kyiv.

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Trump just a day earlier, and the two leaders, along with Trump’s billionaire backer Elon Musk, discussed strengthening their cooperation. Zelensky later described the conversation as "excellent," noting that they agreed to "maintain close dialogue and advance our cooperation."

Meanwhile, the outgoing Biden administration has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine with as much aid as possible before Trump's inauguration on January 20. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that the White House aims to position Ukraine strongly on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, using the remaining USD six billion in funding available for Ukraine.

In Russia, the Kremlin's response to Trump’s outreach has been cautiously optimistic. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that the signals were "positive" since Trump is focusing on peace rather than confrontation. Throughout his campaign, Trump had promised to end the war quickly, even before taking office, though he did not elaborate on his strategy.

Trump’s rhetoric has sparked criticism of US financial support for Ukraine, with his allies alleging that such funding fuels a corrupt defence industry and foreign policy establishment. Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, stirred further controversy over Ukraine's involvement by sharing a clip on Instagram, suggesting that Kyiv would soon lose its US financial support.

Although a peace deal involving territorial concessions appears to be on the table, the issue of land remains a contentious point. Trump briefly raised the topic of land during his call with Putin, according to the report, though specifics were not disclosed. Some political figures, including Trump’s former advisor Bryan Lanza, have suggested that Ukraine may need to forgo its aspirations to regain Crimea—seized by Russia in 2014—to facilitate peace.

However, Ukrainian leadership has steadfastly opposed any territorial compromises, with President Zelensky warning that ceding land would only embolden Russia and escalate the conflict. This position is shared by several European allies, including the UK and France, who are wary of unilateral actions by Trump.

As both Russia and Ukraine make strategic moves to strengthen their positions ahead of potential peace talks, recent military activity suggests that neither side is willing to relent. Over the weekend, Russia launched a record number of drone strikes on Ukraine, while Ukraine reportedly targeted Moscow with drones as well.

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