Washington: In his first major speech since winning the presidential election on November 5, US President-elect Donald Trump outlined his administration's key priorities, including bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and working towards peace in the Middle East.
"We're going to work on the Middle East, and we're going to work very hard on Russia and Ukraine. It's got to stop," Trump said during a gala hosted by the America First Policy Institute at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Thursday.
Trump expressed concern over the ongoing violence, mentioning a recent report that highlighted the devastating toll the war has taken. "Thousands of people over the last three days were killed. Thousands and thousands of people were killed. They happened to be soldiers, but whether they're soldiers or they're people sitting in towns, we're going to work on it," he said.
The President-elect has repeatedly emphasized that ending the war and reducing the drain on US resources, especially military aid to Ukraine, will be a central focus of his foreign policy.
Trump's Recent Call with Putin: A Push for De-escalation and Military Strategy
Last week, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him not to escalate the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to reports from U.S. media outlets. However, the Kremlin has denied that the call took place, leaving some uncertainty around the conversation.
Republican Representative Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who has consistently supported U.S. military aid to Ukraine, said that Trump’s approach involves maintaining a "very strong military presence in Europe." McCaul believes this is part of a broader strategy of "deterrence" that will eventually lead to a negotiation phase, helping to ease tensions and bring about a peaceful resolution.
Trump's call for military strength in Europe highlights his stance on a robust U.S. defense posture, while his ultimate goal remains pushing for negotiations to end the war.
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