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US President Donald Trump on Thursday said his administration’s efforts to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal were “hopefully underway,” and that he wanted to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon.
In a much-anticipated address via video link to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said: “I really want to be able to meet with President Putin soon to end the war, and that’s not from the point of view of the economy or something else. It’s from the point of view of millions of lives being wasted.”
In December, Trump said that Putin had expressed an interest in meeting him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during his annual televised year-end press conference and phone call in Moscow, Russia on December 19, 2024.
Gavriil Grigorov | Via Reuters
Without providing details, Trump also said on Thursday: “Our efforts to secure a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine are now, hopefully, underway. It is so important to do this.”
Meanwhile he suggested that high oil prices were a reason for the warand asked the OPEC producer group to lower prices.
Earlier this week, Trump threatened to impose “high levels” of sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it did not “make a deal” to end its war against Ukraine.
His approach was praised by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in an interview with WEF earlier on Thursday. Rutte told CNBC that he was “very happy” about Trump’s threat of sanctions. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof similarly endorsed the president’s comments, telling CNBC that such sanctions would be “good pressure on Russia to act.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, 2025.
Yves Herman | Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a more skeptical tone during his speech in Davos on Tuesday, asking whether Trump would “even notice Europe” during his presidency. Attending the event to promote Kiev’s series of peace proposals As the war approaches its third anniversary, Zelenskyy has also suggested that Trump could bypass Europe to trade peace talks in Ukraine, working with Russia and China.
Washington has already issued sanctions against Russia targeting areas including shipping and energyalong with individuals believed to be supporting the war effort. The United States has also provided from afar the greater financial assistance to Ukraine of any nation, including billions in military aid.
US funding for Kyiv has become increasingly politically contentious, with former US President Joe Biden struggling to pass a foreign aid bill that includes $60 billion in support for Ukraine in April 2024. Trump’s re-election in November has raised questions about the future of the war, including whether Europe will increase its contributions to Ukraine.
NATO chief Rutte told CNBC that Europe must also “increase” its sanctions to “suffocate the Russian economy.”
