PARIS – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Dec 8 urged an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to end the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, a move that drew cautious but firm responses from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who stressed the need for guarantees to secure peace.
Trump made his call just hours after meeting Zelensky in Paris for their first in-person talks since Trump’s November election victory. While Trump has repeatedly vowed to broker peace between Kyiv and Moscow, he has yet to outline a concrete plan.
“Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, claiming that Ukraine had suffered the loss of some 400,000 soldiers. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.”
Trump also emphasized the need for swift action, adding, “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky on Dec 7 lasted about an hour and was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who invited both leaders to Paris for the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. While the conversation between Trump and Zelensky appeared cordial, detailed outcomes of the talks remained unclear, with French and Ukrainian officials describing the discussions as “good and productive.”
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Zelensky took to social media on Dec 8, emphasizing that peace could not be achieved without solid guarantees.
“Peace is not just a piece of paper, but it must be backed by effective guarantees,” Zelensky wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “A ceasefire without guarantees can be reignited at any moment, as Putin has already done before. To ensure that Ukrainians no longer suffer losses, we must guarantee the reliability of peace and not turn a blind eye to occupation.”
Zelensky also countered Trump’s claim of 400,000 Ukrainian casualties, clarifying that 43,000 soldiers had been killed and 370,000 wounded since the conflict began.
Trump’s statement reflects his intent to position himself as a mediator in the conflict, but questions remain over how he plans to address the complexities of ending the war, particularly with Ukraine insisting that peace must ensure the restoration of its territorial sovereignty and security guarantees against future aggression.