Trump probably does not want to take office amid new crisis in Ukraine - WP

According to the WP's sources, during the conversation, Trump advised Russian leader Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington’s significant presence in Europe.

Additionally, both heads of state discussed the goal of peace on the European continent. Trump also expressed interest in further talks to help bring a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine.

A former US official familiar with Putin's call stated that Trump likely does not want to assume the US presidency amid a new crisis in Ukraine triggered by Russian escalation. This, in turn, gives him an incentive to prevent further escalation of the war.

What is know

Notably, the same WP article mentions that the Ukrainian government was informed about the upcoming call and did not object to it taking place. According to informed sources, Ukrainian officials have long understood that Trump would engage with Putin regarding a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian issue.

However, a few hours after the release, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told Reuters that this part of the article was inaccurate. He stated that the Ukrainian side had not been informed about the possible call, making these claims incorrect. Therefore, Ukraine could neither approve nor oppose the call.

It was also reported that, according to Trump’s statement, he does not intend to act as a dictator except on the first day. As reported by the Associated Press, Trump said he has many things to accomplish on his first day, one of which is to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table.