Trump Advocates for Ukraine-Russia Settlement Talks

President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to engage in dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the Ukraine conflict, describing it as a humanitarian disaster reminiscent of World War II. During his first press conference, Trump emphasized the urgency of resolving the conflict but provided few details about his proposed approach, leading to speculation about a potential settlement that may include Ukraine conceding its NATO aspirations. Additionally, Russia and Ukraine are reportedly in negotiations for a major prisoner exchange, although no agreement has been finalized. Trump suggested that Ukraine needs to make a deal with Russia, downplaying the importance of occupied territories, which aligns with Moscow's interests. As he seeks to shift from his combative campaign persona, Trump also highlighted a significant investment from SoftBank in the U.S. economy. The Biden administration reiterated that the decision to engage in talks rests with Zelensky.