Trump issues threat to Putin, warning of severe repercussions if Russia continues the violence in war
In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump has proposed a bold strategy to end Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. During a recent virtual conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European leaders, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump suggested that Ukraine should take the offensive militarily rather than just defending.
The comments followed the conference, held ahead of Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska. Trump criticised former President Joe Biden for allowing Ukraine "only to defend," arguing that it's nearly impossible to win a war without attacking the invader's country. He even hinted at the possibility of Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory, including targeting cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow with U.S.-supplied weapons. However, it's important to note that Trump's remarks were framed as a question rather than a promotion of increased violence.
Zelenskyy, on the other hand, is pushing for a three-way meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, arguing it is "impossible to solve this without Ukraine." He hopes that the central topic of the meeting in Alaska will be a ceasefire and an immediate ceasefire.
The coalition, including European governments, has expressed their support for Ukraine in any coming peace negotiations. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said real progress was made in the virtual meeting, and the coalition is ready to support Friday's meeting between Trump and Putin.
However, Russia's stance on ending the war in Ukraine has not changed since Putin laid out his conditions last year: the full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from parts of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson that they still control, and Ukraine abandoning its plans to join the NATO alliance. Russia considers the consultations requested by the Europeans as politically and practically insignificant.
As the conflict continues, long-range strikes by Russia and Ukraine have continued overnight into Wednesday. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 63 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 49 drones and two North Korean-made ballistic missiles into the country, of which 32 drones and both missiles were shot down or suppressed.
Trump has threatened "severe consequences" against Russia if Putin does not stop his war on Ukraine. The specific diplomatic or political conditions for ending the war from Trump are not detailed in the search results. Instead, his emphasis is on Ukraine gaining and using offensive military capability to push Russia back, implying military pressure on Russia as a key to peace.
Experts suggest that Russia under Putin will not seek peace until facing military defeat, reinforcing the notion that increasing Ukraine's military pressure is critical. The coalition is ready to implement plans if a ceasefire is reached, including security guarantees for Ukraine once the hostilities have stopped.
Trump is open to the possibility of a second meeting with Putin, but suggests it may not happen if he does not get the answers that are necessary. The world watches as the situation unfolds, with hopes for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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- The proposed strategy by President Trump in regards to the international politics of war-and-conflicts, like the one in Ukraine, significantly deviates from the traditional approach of just defending and instead advocates for offensive military action.
- With Trump's emphasis on military pressure on Russia as a key to peace, experts within the general news sphere speculate that Russia, under Putin's leadership, may not seek peace until facing military defeat, reinforcing the necessity of increasing Ukraine's offensive military capability.
