Washington DC [US], December 12 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict risks escalating into a global war, saying “things like this end up in third world wars.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House after signing an Executive Order aimed at preventing a “patchwork” of state-level artificial intelligence regulations, Trump said 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, were killed in the war last month alone and expressed frustration over the ongoing bloodshed, reiterating his push for an immediate end to hostilities.
“I’d like to see the killing stop. 25,000 people died last month, mostly soldiers, but some people also where bombs were dropped but for the most part, 25,000 soldiers died last month. I would love to see it stop. And we’re working very hard,” the President said.
“Things like this end up in third world wars. And I said that the other day. I said, everybody keeps playing games like this. We will end up in a third world war and we don’t want to see that happen,” he added.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the President is “extremely frustrated” with both Russia and Ukraine over the slow progress toward ending the war and is unwilling to hold “meetings just for the sake of meeting.”
Leavitt told reporters the President is tired of talks that achieve nothing and wants results, not words, as the US acts as a primary mediator in the four-year conflict.
“The president is extremely frustrated with both sides of this war. He’s sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting. He doesn’t want any more talk. He wants action. He wants this war to come to an end,” Leavitt said.
She also confirmed the Trump administration remains engaged in peace efforts, with President Trump holding talks with European leaders on Wednesday and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his team conducting direct discussions with both sides “literally as we speak.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US is urging Ukraine to withdraw forces from Donetsk to create a “free economic zone” in Kyiv-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine that Moscow seeks to dominate, according to Al Jazeera.
Zelenskyy confirmed on Thursday that Ukraine had submitted a 20-point set of counter-proposals to the US as part of talks on security guarantees with senior American officials, stressing that any territorial concessions would require approval via a national referendum.
The Ukrainian President has faced rising pressure from Washington to reach a peace deal with Russia, with reports indicating Trump wants an agreement by Christmas, Al Jazeera reported.
The broader peace plan includes a 20-point framework and separate documents on security guarantees and Ukraine’s reconstruction. Full details of the revised framework, which adjusts an earlier US draft seen as favouring Russia, have not been released.
Zelenskyy said the main sticking points remain control of Donetsk in the Donbas and the future governance of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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