Trump on Ukraine-Russia peace talks: I don’t think you need ceasefire
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump does not consider a ceasefire in Ukraine necessary to advance peace agreements. He mentioned "six deals" that were reached this year amid active hostilities during his meeting with Zelenskyy.
"I don't think you need a ceasefire. If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires," Trump said.
He noted that a pause in hostilities could "stop killing people immediately," but emphasized the potential risks.
"You have a ceasefire - and they rebuild, and rebuild, and rebuild. Maybe they don't want that," the US President stated.
According to Trump, negotiations can take place alongside ongoing hostilities.
"We can work a peace deal while they’re fighting. They have to fight. I wish they could stop, I’d like them to stop," Trump said.
The US leader added that a ceasefire could strategically "be a disadvantage for one side or the other" and concluded: "All these deals I made even without mentioning the word ceasefire".
Preparing for a peace deal in Ukraine
On August 16, Trump told European leaders he is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees from the United States. This move marked a notable shift in his approach to Washington’s role in resolving the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine.
The statement came after Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska. The main topic of the meeting was ending the war. However, as Trump emphasized, no ceasefire agreement was reached at that time.
The US President stressed that the further course of events will directly depend on the decisions of Ukraine’s leadership.
