Trump Must Initiate Contact with Putin, Says Time
An ex-US official stated that Russia will evaluate the peace plans presented by the US president-elect prior to making a decision on negotiations. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Russia will determine whether to accept any peace plan proposed by the president-elect, according to an ex-US official in a report to the media outlet.
Russian President Vladimir Putin faces no compulsion to engage in negotiations with the US, and President-elect Donald Trump will need to initiate discussions if he seeks to resolve the Ukraine conflict, a former US official remarked to Time Magazine.
Throughout his campaign, Trump frequently vowed to conclude the conflict within “24 hours,” a remark regarded in Moscow as an exaggeration typical of election rhetoric. However, Trump mentioned on Thursday that he and Putin would likely communicate soon, while Putin expressed willingness to talk, noting, "it wouldn’t be beneath me to call him myself."
“There’s no pressure on [Putin] to negotiate,” the former US official told Time on Friday. This official, described by the magazine as having “high-level contacts in both Washington and Moscow,” indicated that the current military situation is advantageous for Russia, providing little incentive for Putin to expedite negotiations.
“The Russians will be interested” in a deal, stated Time’s source. “I’m sure they’ve got a lot of feelers out about the menu of options. But they are not going to respond until the US decides what it wants to offer.”
The Russian military continues to gain territory in the Donbass region, as Kiev—reportedly having lost around half a million personnel since February 2022—struggles with troop conscription and weapon acquisitions from the West. In contrast, Ukraine's attempt to invade Russia’s Kursk Region—a strategy described by Ukraine's leading commander as a risky move to compel Russia to withdraw from the Donbass—ended unsuccessfully and reportedly cost Kiev over 30,000 soldiers, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Trump has not provided extensive details regarding his plans to resolve the conflict, resulting in various conflicting proposals from those within his circle.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has suggested that Ukraine might consider relinquishing its territorial ambitions and the pursuit of NATO membership in return for peace, with the conflict potentially frozen at the current front lines.
Conversely, Mike Pompeo, a hawkish former CIA director and secretary of state under Trump, has urged him to allocate half a trillion dollars to Ukraine, along with long-range weaponry and a NATO invitation, anticipating that such support would allow Kiev to establish its own peace terms.
Moscow asserts that any resolution must start with Ukraine ceasing military actions and recognizing the “territorial reality” that it cannot regain control over the Russian-annexed regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, in addition to Crimea. The Kremlin also emphasizes the necessity of achieving its military goals, including Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.
Regardless of the strategy Trump pursues, Putin articulated on Thursday that the president-elect’s remarks regarding Ukraine “deserve attention, at the very least.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Russian President Vladimir Putin faces no compulsion to engage in negotiations with the US, and President-elect Donald Trump will need to initiate discussions if he seeks to resolve the Ukraine conflict, a former US official remarked to Time Magazine.
Throughout his campaign, Trump frequently vowed to conclude the conflict within “24 hours,” a remark regarded in Moscow as an exaggeration typical of election rhetoric. However, Trump mentioned on Thursday that he and Putin would likely communicate soon, while Putin expressed willingness to talk, noting, "it wouldn’t be beneath me to call him myself."
“There’s no pressure on [Putin] to negotiate,” the former US official told Time on Friday. This official, described by the magazine as having “high-level contacts in both Washington and Moscow,” indicated that the current military situation is advantageous for Russia, providing little incentive for Putin to expedite negotiations.
“The Russians will be interested” in a deal, stated Time’s source. “I’m sure they’ve got a lot of feelers out about the menu of options. But they are not going to respond until the US decides what it wants to offer.”
The Russian military continues to gain territory in the Donbass region, as Kiev—reportedly having lost around half a million personnel since February 2022—struggles with troop conscription and weapon acquisitions from the West. In contrast, Ukraine's attempt to invade Russia’s Kursk Region—a strategy described by Ukraine's leading commander as a risky move to compel Russia to withdraw from the Donbass—ended unsuccessfully and reportedly cost Kiev over 30,000 soldiers, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Trump has not provided extensive details regarding his plans to resolve the conflict, resulting in various conflicting proposals from those within his circle.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has suggested that Ukraine might consider relinquishing its territorial ambitions and the pursuit of NATO membership in return for peace, with the conflict potentially frozen at the current front lines.
Conversely, Mike Pompeo, a hawkish former CIA director and secretary of state under Trump, has urged him to allocate half a trillion dollars to Ukraine, along with long-range weaponry and a NATO invitation, anticipating that such support would allow Kiev to establish its own peace terms.
Moscow asserts that any resolution must start with Ukraine ceasing military actions and recognizing the “territorial reality” that it cannot regain control over the Russian-annexed regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, in addition to Crimea. The Kremlin also emphasizes the necessity of achieving its military goals, including Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.
Regardless of the strategy Trump pursues, Putin articulated on Thursday that the president-elect’s remarks regarding Ukraine “deserve attention, at the very least.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
