US President Donald Trump has issued a new statement regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to him, to end the war, the Donbas region needs to be "divided," and a large part of it could remain under Russian control, Reuters reported.
In an interview with journalists aboard Air Force One on October 19th, Trump emphasized that "a large part of Donbas is effectively in Russian hands" and stated that "the existing borders should remain as they are."
"Let everything remain as it is. This area has already been divided. In my opinion, 78 percent of the region is occupied by Russia. Later, they can reach a mutual agreement. But for now, both sides must stop at the front line, return home, and stop the killings," Trump said.
The president emphasized that continuing the war will only lead to new casualties and destruction. Therefore, Trump called on both sides to stop and begin peaceful negotiations as soon as possible.
At the same time, he denied a report published in The Financial Times on October 19. In this article, it was written that Trump, during a meeting with Zelenskyy, "asked to hand over all of Donbas to Russia." According to this information, he warned the Ukrainian leader that "otherwise Putin could destroy the country."
Trump assessed the report as "baseless and exaggerated" and stated that "such statements were not made."
During the conversation, the American leader also commented on India, recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to reduce Russian oil purchases. "If this promise is not fulfilled, New Delhi will continue to pay high tariffs," Trump said.
Analysts believe that Trump's statement could usher in a new political phase regarding the war in Ukraine. His proposal to divide the Donbas is expected to provoke heated debates and various reactions in the West.
Thus, these words of Donald Trump are interpreted as an attempt to find a new diplomatic path in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The president's main idea is to stop the war and create a basis for peaceful negotiations.
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