U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has urged for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine following a meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders. Trump stated that Kyiv is willing to negotiate to end the prolonged conflict that has lasted over 1,000 days. He emphasized the devastating toll the war has taken, with both Moscow and Kyiv reportedly losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
Trump's call for a ceasefire and initiation of negotiations was directed towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to take action to halt the ongoing fighting. The President-elect's remarks came after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, which Zelenskyy later described as 'constructive'.
Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of a just peace deal for Ukrainians to prevent any future aggression from Russia or other potential aggressors. He revealed that Kyiv has suffered significant losses, with 43,000 soldiers killed and 370,000 wounded since the all-out invasion by Moscow on February 24, 2022.
While official casualty figures from both Russia and Ukraine remain undisclosed, Western officials have indicated that the recent months of intense warfare in eastern Ukraine have resulted in record casualties for both sides. Tens of thousands have been reported killed and wounded each month due to the ongoing conflict.
