Washington DC [US], December 12 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict risks escalating into a global catastrophe, cautioning that “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 that 25,000 people — mostly soldiers — were killed in the war last month alone. He voiced deep frustration over the continuing bloodshed and renewed his call for an immediate end to hostilities.
“I’d like to see the killing stop. Twenty-five thousand people died last month, mostly soldiers, but some civilians also where bombs were dropped. I would love to see it stop. And we’re working very hard,” Trump 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 lack of progress toward ending the war, adding that he is unwilling to engage in “meetings just for the sake of meeting.”
During a press briefing, Leavitt said Trump wants action and concrete results as the United States continues its role as the primary mediator in efforts to end the four-year-long 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,” she said.
She added that the administration remains actively engaged in peace negotiations, noting that Trump held discussions with European leaders on Wednesday. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his team are continuing direct talks with both sides “literally as we speak,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States is urging Ukraine to pull back its forces from the Donetsk region to establish a “free economic zone” in Kyiv-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine — an area Moscow aims to dominate, according to Al Jazeera.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine has submitted a 20-point list of counter-proposals to the US as part of ongoing discussions on security guarantees. He stressed that any territorial concessions would require approval through a national referendum.
Reports indicate increasing pressure from Washington for Ukraine to reach a peace deal with Russia, with suggestions that Trump wants an agreement by Christmas, Al Jazeera reported.
The broader peace plan includes a 20-point framework and additional documents covering security guarantees and Ukraine’s reconstruction. Details of the revised framework, which modifies an earlier US draft viewed as more favorable to Russia, have not been publicly disclosed.
Zelenskyy said the main areas of disagreement remain control of the Donetsk region in the Donbas and future governance of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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