Paris: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the ongoing conflict, prompting responses from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Kremlin outlining their respective conditions.
Trump's remarks came just hours after his first face-to-face meeting with Zelenskiy in Paris, following last month's U.S. election victory. Trump, who has pledged to mediate an end to the war, wrote on Truth Social, “Zelensky and Ukraine want to stop the madness and make a deal. There should be an immediate ceasefire, and negotiations should begin.”
He claimed Kyiv had suffered the loss of around 400,000 soldiers and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to act decisively. "I know Vladimir well. This is his moment to act. China can help. The world is watching!" Trump added.
While in Paris for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Trump met with Zelenskiy for an hour alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Though the two leaders exchanged smiles and handshakes, details of the discussions remained vague, with both French and Ukrainian officials describing the talks as “productive.”
Responding to Trump’s statements, Zelenskiy emphasized the need for sustainable peace, not just symbolic agreements. “Peace isn’t just a piece of paper; it requires concrete guarantees,” Zelenskiy wrote on X. “A ceasefire without enforceable assurances risks reigniting the conflict, as we’ve seen with Putin before. Ukrainians desire peace more than anyone, but it must be reliable and just.”
Zelenskiy clarified that Ukraine had lost 43,000 soldiers, with another 370,000 wounded—contradicting Trump's cited figure of 400,000.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s comments during a media briefing. Peskov reiterated Russia’s openness to negotiations but stressed that talks must reflect agreements reached in Istanbul in 2022 and the current battlefield realities, where Russian forces claim significant advances.
Peskov highlighted Russia’s longstanding demands, including Ukraine’s neutrality and recognition of Russian control over four contested regions. He also noted that Zelenskiy’s decree banning direct talks with the Russian leadership would need to be revoked for meaningful negotiations to occur.
Putin has previously maintained that early agreements reached during Istanbul talks, which were never implemented, could serve as a foundation for future discussions. However, Russia insists Ukraine must abandon its aspirations for NATO membership as a key condition for peace.