Several advisors to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have accepted a timeline of at least several months to strike a deal to settle the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reported on Jan. 15, citing two Trump associates who directly spoke to the president-elect about the war.
Trump has previously promised to end Russia's war against Ukraine in 24 hours. As Trump's inauguration approaches, Keith Kellogg Trump's choice for special Ukraine peace envoy has said the Trump administration aims to end Russia's war against Ukraine within 100 days after inauguration.
Trump's campaign promise to end the war in a day was a lack of appreciation for intractability of the conflict due to its complexity, and did not consider how long it would take to staff a new administration, the two Trump associates said.
Trump has voiced readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin the process of establishing a potential peace agreement.
Kellogg is also slated to meet with Ukrainian officials following Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, and will also visit other European capitals to discuss the war. Trump has called for more European leadership to end the war, including the potential of European peacekeepers.
Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for secretary of state, said on Jan. 15 that both sides need to be "realistic," in a potential ceasefire agreement. Rubio suggested a concession from Russia would be to not advance any further, while Ukraine's concession would be to give its territories currently under Russian occupation.
Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the U.S. can not approach peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia as a neutral mediator, and recognize Russia as an aggressor.
Dmytro Basmat
