US President-elect Donald Trump says the leaders of Ukraine and Russia must be "willing to make a deal" to end the brutal conflict that has torn Ukraine apart. The war in Ukraine began in February 2022. As the Voice of America correspondent reports, President-elect Trump also criticized President Joe Biden's decision to allow Kiev to attack Russia with weapons obtained from the United States, implying that when he takes office, he can reverse the decision.
President-elect Donald Trump says he will "try" for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine at the beginning of his presidential term, adding that both sides must compromise.
"There must be an agreement. "A lot of people are being killed in this war... Zelensky and Putin should be ready to make a deal," Trump said.
He also called President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to attack Russia with long-range weapons "stupid" and "a big mistake."
A day after that reaction, Kiev took the fight to the heart of Moscow, after Ukrainian security forces claimed responsibility for the killing of a Russian general a few kilometers from Red Square.
Analyst William Pomeranz says that if President-elect Trump abandons support for Ukraine it would have "major military consequences" for Ukraine and pits Mr. Trump against allies of the United States.
"I see a potential clash between our NATO allies and President Trump over the war. When Mr. Trump talks about negotiations, this actually means that Ukraine should negotiate and surrender, while he does not impose any conditions on Russia," says Mr. Pomeranz from the Wilson Center.
The outgoing administration of President Biden is trying to "use every penny" of aid already approved for Ukraine before he leaves office. A National Security Council official explained to VOA the reason for this.
"The war in Ukraine is about the foundation of the international system on which everything else rests, sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders. If these are not protected in Ukraine, they will not be protected anywhere else," says Mr. Carpenter.
Congress ultimately decides whether to allocate additional funds to Ukraine.
"I think the election of President Trump has already changed the situation there. He can resolve the conflict and we're looking forward to him leading us to that point," House Speaker Mike Johnson told VOA.
Democratic lawmaker Erica Lee Carter was recently elected to serve out the final weeks of her late mother's term in Congress. She used her limited time in office to echo her mother Sheila Jackson Lee's support for Ukraine.
"I'm not giving up on Ukraine until everyone in Ukraine stops fighting, and that won't happen until Ukraine wins," Democratic lawmaker Erica Lee Carter told VOA
Her statement highlights an important issue: whether Ukraine is ready to compromise.
Members of President Volodymyr Zelensky's government recently sought support from neighbors like Poland and as far away as France and Australia.
When asked recently if he was ready to stop the war and accept talks, President Zelensky said he first needed to see security guarantees and a plan for peace./ VOA (A2 Televizion)
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