White House Official Describes Trump as ‘Optimistic’ About Ukraine Negotiations
President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine after a successful hostage exchange in the Middle East, noting that success in the region could provide momentum for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Politico.
According to an anonymous White House representative, Trump has long sought to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the success of his diplomacy in the Middle East has raised hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
“The President remains optimistic that he will be able to get both sides to stop the senseless killing,” the official said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted a “strong momentum for peace,” emphasizing the role of the U.S. and other international leaders in creating favorable conditions for negotiations.
The White House representative pointed out that Russia needs to be motivated by economic and military pressure in order to begin serious negotiations. Despite this, Putin has repeatedly rejected generous peace proposals.
“As the President stated, the war hasn't been going well for Russia, whose economy is in shambles and who continue to lose thousands of lives to gain ‘virtually no land.’ If they were smart, they would more urgently pursue a deal to end the war which has done significant damage to Russia's reputation, stop the killing, and get their country back on the right track,” the official added.
Trump's team, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, has identified three main foreign policy goals for his second term: ending the conflict in Gaza, ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, and negotiating a new nuclear agreement with Iran.
“They recognized that Gaza was going to be the simplest of the three,” the person said. “But they’re not giving up on the others. If anything, there’s a sense that success will lead to more success,” anonymous White House representative stated.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian delegation in Washington is working on strengthening air defense, obtaining long-range weapons, and economic cooperation with the U.S., including the exchange of drone technology and new weapons supplies through the PURL program.
“This partnership is not only a strategic advantage for Ukraine but also a real contribution to U.S. and allied security globally,” said Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S.
As The Gaze reported earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday, October 17.