US President Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, a day after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris. Trump claims that Kyiv wants to make a deal to end the war with Russia and cites both sides suffering enormous losses. He also appointed retired army general Keith Kellogg as his Russia and Ukraine envoy, tasked with ending the war.
Zelenskyy had a “good meeting” with Trump, but stated 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 370,000 wounded in the conflict. The situation remains uncertain, with Trump’s policy on Ukraine unclear. Kyiv is cautious about Trump’s election, hoping to avoid disastrous consequences on the battlefield.
The war has exhausted Ukraine after nearly three years, leading to a growing number of people considering territorial concessions to end the conflict. However, Ukrainian society is opposed to lowering the mobilization age, which would be deeply unpopular. Zelenskyy emphasizes the need for solid security guarantees from the west before a ceasefire can be meaningful.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands for ending the war include Russian control over the Crimean peninsula and parts of Ukraine not currently controlled by Russian troops, as well as a ban on Ukraine joining NATO. These conditions are likely unacceptable to any Ukrainian leader, making it unclear if negotiations will succeed.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/08/trump-calls-ceasefire-ukraine-casualty-figures