“Significant North Korean military casualties” mentioned for the first time,
On the 18th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference. AFP Yonhap News
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that high-level talks between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia were “going very well” and that he gained more confidence regarding the end of the Ukraine war.
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida on the 18th (local time), President Trump mentioned this, adding, “Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the brutal and barbaric behavior.”
He mentioned that many Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have died on the battlefield, stating, “A significant number of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia have also died. They came to fight, but many were killed.” This marks the first time President Trump officially commented on the participation of North Korean troops, which neither Russia nor North Korea has confirmed.
Regarding the stationing of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine after the end of the war, President Trump said, “If Europe wants to do that, it’s fine. I’m entirely in favor,” mentioning France and the UK as well. He added, “It would be okay to have European troops stationed in Ukraine from a European perspective, but we (the U.S.) will not do that due to the distance.”
This reveals a negative stance toward deploying U.S. troops as peacekeepers, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s argument for a need for Western forces, including the U.S., for security after the end of the war.
On the 18th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference. AP Yonhap News
President Trump stated that after a peace agreement is reached between Ukraine and Russia, regarding whether the U.S. would withdraw troops from Europe entirely, “No one has requested that, so I don’t think it’s necessary. I don’t want to do that,” adding that such a request has never actually been raised.
Regarding the exclusion of Ukraine from the talks aimed at ending the war between the U.S. and Russia, he reiterated his stance that if he had been president when the war started, it would never have begun.
Emphasizing the devastation caused by the war in Ukraine, President Trump pointed out, “Elections have not been held in Ukraine, and martial law is practically in effect,” criticizing that the approval rating of Ukrainian leader (Zelensky) is only 4%.
Upon leaving the press conference, when asked if he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin by the end of the month, President Trump replied, “Probably,” indicating that a U.S.-Russia summit might take place within February.