The U.S. President-elect Donald Trump suggested in a Meet the Press interview aired on Dec. 8 that Ukraine could receive less aid under his presidency. When asked whether Ukraine should prepare for reduced U.S. assistance, Trump responded, "Possibly, sure."
Trump reiterated that he is working to end the war in Ukraine, building on his previous campaign claim that he could resolve the war within 24 hours if he were in charge.
However, he confirmed that he has not spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin recently, adding, "I don’t want to say that because I don’t want to do anything that could impede the negotiations."
Trump also wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier that President Volodymyr Zelensky "would like to make a deal" and "stop the madness" of the war in Ukraine, following their meeting in Paris on Dec. 7.
Trump and Zelensky met in Paris as world leaders convened for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, marked the first in-person discussion between the two since Trump's election victory in November.
Trump also refrained from guaranteeing the U.S. would remain in NATO but emphasized that the U.S. would continue its membership if treated "fairly" in terms of contributions.
Olena Goncharova
(Updated: )
