U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed deep dissatisfaction with both Russia and Ukraine, stating his desire for the military conflict between the two nations to end as soon as possible. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt made this announcement on Thursday, December 11.
Trump's patience runs thin
According to Carolyn Leavitt, the U.S. President has grown tired of what he refers to as "meetings held just for the sake of holding meetings" (i.e., unproductive discussions).
Leavitt stated, "Now he wants actions, not just words—he wants the war to end. In just the last few weeks, the U.S. administration has spent more than 30 hours in discussions with Russians, Ukrainians, and Europeans."
She added that the U.S. government will continue to work with both sides of the conflict.
Paris meeting: U.S. sets conditions
A crucial meeting involving representatives from Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine is set to take place in Paris on December 13. In response to questions about whether the U.S. will attend, the White House Press Secretary provided a direct answer:
"If there is a real opportunity to sign a peace agreement, if we determine that attending these discussions is worth the time spent by the United States this weekend, we will send our representative."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously stated that proposals regarding which territorial concessions Ukraine is willing to make have been communicated to the U.S. President. Trump himself noted that the talks contained "heated discussions" and remarked, "We will make a decision based on the results they return with. We do not want to waste time," he said.
Zelensky: Two key points of contention
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined two major contentious points in ongoing negotiations with the United States during a meeting with journalists on December 11:
1. The status of Donetsk region and all related issues.
2. The future status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian occupation.
According to Zelensky, the U.S. has proposed that Ukraine’s Armed Forces withdraw from positions they currently hold in part of Donetsk region and establish a demilitarized special economic zone in eastern Ukraine. Furthermore, under the U.S. proposal, Russia would be allowed to maintain forces in Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, but would be required to withdraw from Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that any decision involving territorial concessions must be subject to review by the entire nation: "Whether through elections or a referendum—it doesn’t matter, but in this case, the stance of the Ukrainian people must be expressed."
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