Ukraine's Zelensky Hopes Trump's Presidency Speeds Up War's End

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently shared his thoughts on the ongoing war with Russia. In a radio interview, he expressed his belief that the war could end more quickly if former US President Donald Trump were in office. Zelensky noted the challenging situation on the battlefield, where Russia has advantages in both manpower and weapons. He thinks that the incoming Trump administration's approach could lead to a faster resolution. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine must pursue diplomatic means to end the war by next year. Trump, who recently won a second term, has often claimed that the war would not have started under his presidency. He even suggested he could resolve the conflict in a single day, though he didn't reveal how. Throughout his campaign, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, cast doubt on continued US support for Ukraine. The war has been raging for over two and a half years since Russia's large-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia is making headway in crucial areas along the eastern and southeastern fronts, inching closer to key hubs like the city of Kurakhove. On Saturday, Russia claimed to have captured two more settlements in the Donetsk region, but Ukraine hasn't confirmed this. Meanwhile, Russia is preparing for a counteroffensive in the southern Russian region of Kursk, which is the site of Ukraine's only significant military victory this year. Zelensky acknowledged the tough situation in eastern Ukraine. He said Russia is slowly but steadily advancing, and they've been waiting for certain weapons for a year. However, Zelensky pointed out that Russia's progress comes at a high cost. He said Russia is losing up to 2, 000 soldiers daily. "These are terrible losses, " he noted. "They can't keep advancing like this. " Zelensky criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin after a two-year gap. He warned that this could undermine efforts to isolate Putin.

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