The American president-elect, who met Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday in Paris on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre-Dame, says that the Ukrainian president “would like to conclude an agreement” to end the war.
It was indeed a question of discussing the end of the war during the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the Élysée on Saturday. The American president-elect waited until Sunday to make statements relating to these exchanges, which French head of state Emmanuel Macron organized in Paris on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre-Dame. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Too many lives have been lost in vain, too many families have been destroyed, and if this continues, it could turn into something bigger, and much worse.”he declared again from Paris, his first trip abroad since his election in November, affirming that Ukraine lost “ridiculously” 400,000 soldiers and “many more civilians”.
Already on Saturday, the Ukrainian president indicated in a press release that he had agreed with his American and French counterparts on the need to conclude a “just peace” with Russia. “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just manner.”he wrote on social networks after the tripartite meeting, specifying that the three leaders were “agreed to continue working together”. “Let us continue joint action for peace and security”had also declared on X Emmanuel Macron, for whom this meeting is a diplomatic success.
Biden administration promises new aid
Donald Trump's statement comes hours after the US Department of Defense announced new military aid to Ukraine estimated at $988 million. The new aid includes drones, missiles for its Himars rocket launcher systems, and increased assistance with critical equipment maintenance, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The aid announced Saturday will be provided through a mechanism whereby military equipment is purchased from the defense industry or partners rather than drawn from US stockpiles – and is therefore not expected to be available in the short term for Ukraine uses it on the battlefields. The Biden administration is working to accelerate its efforts towards kyiv before Donald Trump arrives at the White House on January 20. Because the latter's victory has cast doubt on the future of United States support for Ukraine.
