End of Russia-Ukraine war at sight? Trump says Putin and Zelenskiy want peace
Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, calling it a special military operation. Russia currently controls around 20 per cent of Ukraine's internationally recognised territory in Donetsk and Luhansk, while Ukraine holds about half of Kursk.
Nearly a month after Donald Trump, who before the election had claimed that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours, assumed office, the US President has made the first major move to end the conflict that will complete three years in a few days. Trump, who had telephonic conversations with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, said the two leaders have expressed a desire for peace.
CREDIT: REUTERS
'Putin and Zelenskiy want peace'
"He wants it to end. He doesn't want to end it and then go back to fighting six months later," Trump said after speaking with Putin for more than an hour.
"I think we're on the way to getting peace. I think President Putin wants peace, President Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace. I just want to see people stop getting killed," he added.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, who also spoke with Trump for about an hour, said they discussed the opportunities to achieve peace and Ukraine's readiness to work together.
CREDIT: REUTERS
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, calling it a special military operation. In the 1,085 days of the war, more than 500,000 troops have been killed on both sides, according to a US estimate, while Russia and Ukraine have claimed a much higher toll on the other side.
Where are the frontlines
Russia currently controls around 20 per cent of Ukraine's internationally recognised territory, mostly in Donetsk and Luhansk, while Ukraine holds about half of the Russian territory of Kursk.
CREDIT: REUTERS
What would Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal look like
Most analysts are of the opinion that a ceasefire would mean the freezing of the frontlines and both sides getting to keep the territories they currently hold.
This is unlikely to be acceptable for both sides, as Russia has laid claim to all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, plus Crimea, while Ukraine wants the restoration of its pre-2014 borders.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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