Trump administration officials have said they believe there are more ways that the US could tighten the screws on Russia financially, particularly by further targeting its energy sector.
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In his post, Trump touted his “very good relationship with President Putin” and said he was not looking to “hurt” Russia, but would be doing it a “favour” by pushing it to reach a deal.
He also referenced a special counsel investigation into coordination between his 2016 campaign and Moscow, saying it was a “HOAX” from the “Radical Left”. It did not find evidence that Trump’s campaign “conspired or coordinated” with Russia to influence the result.
Trump said that the West must “never forget” the sacrifices made by Russia to defeat Nazi Germany.
Hours after being sworn in on Monday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Putin was “destroying Russia” by continuing to wage war in Ukraine.
Putin has said there can be no peace in Ukraine unless Kyiv surrenders four regions, as well as Crimea, and drops its ambitions to join NATO. He has also demanded that the West end all sanctions against Moscow.
Trump’s intervention came a day after the Ukrainian president insisted that Europe needed to become more independent of Washington because there was no guarantee Trump was committed to NATO.
Zelensky presented his scathing address as a wake-up call for European leaders, including in Britain and France, following Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
“Will president Trump even notice Europe? Does he see NATO as necessary? And will he respect EU institutions?” Zelensky asked in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
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“Europe must establish itself as a strong global player,” he said, adding that, while the United States remains an indispensable ally, Washington doubts Europe’s ability to contribute meaningfully to global security.
Zelensky said at least 200,000 European soldiers would be required to serve as peacekeepers on Ukraine’s eastern front for a peace deal to be enforced.
“From all the Europeans? 200,000, it’s a minimum. It’s a minimum, otherwise it’s nothing,” he said.
During a visit to Kyiv earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain would play its “full part” in supporting efforts to maintain an enduring peace in Ukraine. Prior to Christmas, both Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong would not rule out Australian defence personnel involvement in peacekeeping duties.
Trump, who has been sceptical of US military aid to Ukraine, said he expected to meet Putin soon and the Kremlin has said the Russian leader is ready to sit down with the US president, but no summit has been scheduled.
His special envoy for the Ukraine war, Keith Kellogg, told Fox News earlier this month he hoped to find a solution within “100 days”.
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