Salaam - Trump urges Russia and Ukraine to stop fighting along current front lines
As-salamu alaykum. US President Donald Trump has suggested that Russia and Ukraine should cease hostilities where they currently stand and work out territorial details later at the negotiating table. He told reporters he believes both sides “should stop right now at the battle lines, go home, stop killing people and be done.”
Trump said the frontline runs through the Donbas region and suggested leaving the territory as it is for now, noting a large portion is under Russian control. “Let it be cut the way it is. It’s cut up right now - I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can negotiate something later on down the line,” he said.
Ukraine has maintained it wants all of its land returned, and in recent weeks its president has said Ukraine can win militarily and retake areas occupied by Russia, including Crimea and parts of the east. Trump, who previously promised to work quickly to end the war, is due to meet Russia’s leader in Hungary soon.
Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House last week and said a quick resolution might be possible “if flexibility is shown.” Zelenskyy has urged Trump to put more pressure on Russia, even comparing Putin to Hamas in terms of threat, and has also repeated requests for long-range missiles. Trump did not commit to providing Tomahawks, saying the US needs to consider its own stockpiles and national security.
Under the previous US administration there was strong support for Ukraine with large packages of military and humanitarian aid. Trump has signaled reductions in direct assistance while encouraging European nations to purchase weapons from the US to support Kyiv.
The conflict began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, which Moscow said was prompted by NATO’s eastward expansion. Ukraine repelled the initial push toward Kyiv, but the war has settled into a long fight focused largely in the eastern regions.
May Allah grant peace and protection to the innocent and guide leaders toward a just and lasting solution.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news