Donald Trump 'urges Putin not to escalate Ukraine war' in phone call with Russian leader
11 November 2024, 06:04 | Updated: 11 November 2024, 06:37
Donald Trump urged Vladimir Putin not to escalate his war in Ukraine in a phone call following his US election win, according to reports.
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The president-elect also warned Russia of the United States’ sizable military force stationed in Europe, Reuters reports.
The two leaders also discussed a path to wider peace in Europe as well as a agreed to a later call to finalise a plan to end the war in Ukraine.
Two Ukrainian sources told the Washington Post that Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government knew of the call and did not object to it taking place.
On the call, Mr Trump's communications director Steven Cheung said: "We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders."
Donald Trump's historic return to the White House could dramatically alter the balance of the world stage, with the Republican promising sweeping action in a second administration.
"I'm not going to start wars, I’m going to stop wars," vowed Trump in his victory speech.
"We had no wars, for four years we had no wars. Except we defeated ISIS," Trump says.
Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on continuing the US' ongoing support for Ukraine which was established under Biden.
As president, he said he would force Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin to stop the war which has raged since Moscow's troops invaded the neighbouring state in February 2023.
"I would tell Zelensky, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don't make a deal, we're going to give him a lot. We're going to (give Ukraine) more than they ever got if we have to," Trump told Fox News in July last year.
'I will have the deal done in one day. One day," he added.
Upon the former president's election, Zelensky said he appreciated Trump's commitment to the "peace through strength" approach to global affairs as he welcomed his win.
"This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership."
He said "we rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States."
