Trump Mentions Assad Regime Collapse, Urges ‘Ceasefire’ in Ukraine War
Kremlin: “It’s Ukraine Refusing Peace Negotiations”
Zelensky: “It Can’t End with a Piece of Paper and a Few Signatures”
[Paris=AP/Newsis] U.S. President-elect Donald Trump mentioned the potential collapse of the Assad regime on the 8th (local time) while pressing Russia and Ukraine to end the war. The photo from December 7th shows French President Emmanuel Macron posing with President-elect Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
Trump stated that the reason for the Assad regime’s collapse included Russian President Vladimir Putin’s focus on the war with Ukraine, calling for an “immediate ceasefire.” According to the Kyiv Independent, he mentioned on his social media platform, Truth Social, that “Russia led by Putin is no longer interested in protecting Assad,” noting that the war in Ukraine, which injured or killed nearly 600,000 Russian soldiers, caused Russia to lose interest in Syria.
Trump further commented that Russia and Iran, both supporters of the Assad regime, are currently weakened by the Ukrainian war and economic decline for Russia, and conflicts with Israel for Iran. He emphasized, “An immediate ceasefire and negotiations must begin. Too many lives and families are being unnecessarily destroyed.”
Conversely, Russia placed the blame on Ukraine for the failed negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in an impromptu video conference that “it is Ukraine that refused and continues to refuse negotiations.”
Meanwhile, Zelensky emphasized that peace can only be achieved through strength, rejecting Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire. He conveyed through his Telegram channel, “This can’t be ended with just a piece of paper and a few signatures. An unguaranteed ceasefire can restart at any time, as Putin has done before.”
He added that only the strength of global leaders, particularly the united front of the U.S. and the world, could stop Putin, who is consistently instigating wars. Zelensky stressed that “war should not end,” and that “only peace is permanent and trustworthy.”
Russian state media TASS reported Zelensky’s rejection of Trump’s immediate ceasefire appeal following a meeting between Zelensky and Trump in Paris, which was their first meeting since the U.S. presidential election.