In the wake of his meeting with Donald Trump in Paris, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has expressed his desire for a peace that is both "just and enduring" towards Russia.
It was reported by the Daily Mail that Zelensky appeared to modify his attitude on the possibility of peace negotiations during crucial discussions with the President-elect of the United States, who has pledged to put an end to the conflict "in a day" when he takes office in the next year.
Yesterday, Trump resorted to social media to make a case for an urgent ceasefire and to assert that the Ukrainian government "would like to make a deal" to bring an end to a conflict that has already lasted for more than one thousand days.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, had arranged for them to meet at the élysée Palace in advance of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral to examine the possibility of future collaboration on "defense and offense."
During his remarks following the discussions, Zelensky stated that he and Trump had agreed to pursue a "just peace." He even reiterated the billionaire's catchphrase, "peace through strength."
He said, "we all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace."
When Trump enters his second term in the White House, Zelensky and the broader Ukrainian population will be greatly affected.
With a lengthy history of being a critic of the United States' participation in international conflicts, he has signaled that he would be willing to reduce the amount of financial support provided to the Ukrainian military effort.
The administration of Joe Biden revealed this weekend a fresh support package of $1 billion (£780 million) to provide Ukraine with military assistance. This assistance has been essential in maintaining Ukraine's struggle against the Russian invaders.
In the past, Zelensky has dismissed the possibility of peace negotiations with the Kremlin, which, according to him, would unavoidably include the handover of seized regions of eastern Ukraine to Vladimir Putin.
In spite of this, the Ukrainian leader told the press on Saturday that his conversation with Trump had been "constructive."
According to the New York Post, President Trump made the statement yesterday on his Truth Social platform claiming both Moscow and Kyiv had suffered the loss of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in a conflict that "should never have begun."
"What happened there was Russia was not able to step up to the plate because they were all bogged down in this horrible war that never should have happened in Ukraine," he said.
Calling on Putin to act to bring the fighting to an end, Trump said: "There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed."
The meeting has sparked intense discussions online, with X users articulating diverse viewpoints.
"If Trump can truly bring peace, I'll give credit where it's due," one X user said.
"Zelensky must tread carefully. Negotiations with Russia are a dangerous game," a second netizen wrote.
"Trump's claim to end the war in a day is just another unrealistic promise," a third person chimed in.
"Why is Zelensky suddenly warming to peace talks? Pressure from the U.S.?" a curious netizen wondered.
"Macron mediating this is the most French thing ever," another user wrote.
"A just peace sounds nice, but at what cost to Ukraine's sovereignty?" an X user commented.
Business Times has reached out to President Volodymyr Zelensky for comments.
