Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russia-Ukraine war will end “faster” under President-elect Trump.
Zelensky acknowledged the tough circumstances his military is in currently during an interview with Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne, which was published Saturday, but emphasized that the conflict has to end “next year through diplomatic means.”
The Ukrainian leader told the outlet the conflict “will end faster with the policy of this team that will now lead the White House,” referencing the incoming Republican administration.
Trump has repeatedly said on the campaign trail that the invasion, which has been ongoing for over two-and-half years, would not have occurred if he was still in the White House and argued he could end the conflict in one day without elaborating on exactly how.
“This is their approach, their promise to their society, and it is also very important to them,” Zelensky said in the interview.
The Russian military has made advances in parts of southeastern and eastern Ukraine as it also prepares to kick off a counteroffensive in the Kursk region, an area where Kyiv made gains in August.
“There is a slow but steady pressure and advance of the Russians,” Zelensky said but also pointed to losses the Russian military sustained in recent weeks.
Following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Zelensky said he had a productive conversation with the president-elect, a phone call that was joined by billionaire Elon Musk.
“This is the kind of America that Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs, to my mind,” the Ukrainian leader said earlier this month. “This is the connection between allies that must be valued and cannot be lost.”
