An advisor to the new US President Donald Trump revealed to ABC News that Ukraine must accept the “new reality” - which is that Crimea will remain for the Russians.
In just a few days, Trump will take office as President of the United States (for the second time). During his election campaign, the Republican said that “within 24 hours” will end the war between Russia and Ukraine, without giving details on how this will happen.
Trump's future national security adviser Mike Walz said that preparations are already underway for a meeting between the US president and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
According to Mike Walz, the war in Ukraine has become a “World War I-style meat grinder“, which, however, could escalate into World War III due to the involvement of third countries. He gave North Korea as an example.
„In the coming months, we will establish a dialogue (with Moscow). We are working on the issue. "In the coming days and weeks, we expect at least a phone call as a first step," Trump's adviser said.
Mike Walz said Ukraine has a manpower problem, pointing out that the draft age is 26 years old, not 18, as he said it should be. Kiev can mobilize hundreds of thousands of new soldiers, said Walz, who is also the first Green Beret elected to the United States Congress.
Mike Walz said the war would end "diplomatically" at the negotiating table. However, he stressed that it was unrealistic for the world to expect the Russians to be expelled from all occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea. "President Trump has acknowledged this reality, and I think it's a huge step forward that the whole world is recognizing this (new) reality," the adviser to the newly elected US president also said.
The Trump team has not revealed when the meeting between him and Putin will take place or whether a Ukrainian representative will be present. At the moment, indications are that Trump is working towards such a meeting, after which a ceasefire and later a peace treaty would be established. However, the Trump team has repeatedly hinted that Ukraine would have to give up part of its territory.