Zelensky says Trump’s “unpredictability” could end war with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this week that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s “unpredictability” could help end the country’s war with Russia.

Zelensky said during an interview on Ukrainian television on Thursday that, “The ‘hot’ stage of the war can end quite quickly, if Trump is strong in his position.” He continued “I believe (Trump) is strong and unpredictable. I would very much like President Trump’s unpredictability to be directed primarily toward the Russian Federation.”

Why It Matters

Zelensky’s message that he believes Trump will be able to end the war and achieve peace is significant because he has previously clashed with the president-elect on his plan to end the conflict—signifying that Zelensky may be more amenable to negotiating with Russia than he previously indicated.

During his campaign, Trump claimed he could end the nearly three-year-long conflict in Ukraine within a single day. Ukrainian President Zelensky dismissed this notion, emphasizing that he considered it unrealistic to expect such an expedited resolution to be successful.

What To know

Trump, set to assume the presidency on Jan. 20, has yet to outline a clear policy on Ukraine. However, his past remarks have raised doubts about whether the U.S. will maintain its role as Ukraine’s primary and most critical supplier of military aid.

Determined to secure Washington’s continued backing, Zelensky took a proactive approach, meeting with Trump in New York ahead of last November’s U.S. presidential election. As the war in Ukraine nears its fourth year and Trump prepares to take office, questions about the resolution of Europe’s largest conflict since World War II have gained renewed urgency.

How Much Russian Territory Does Ukraine Control?

Russia holds roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, leveraging gaps in Ukraine’s defenses last year to make incremental gains in the east, despite suffering significant losses in personnel and equipment. The war’s momentum has shifted against Ukraine, which faces shortages on the battlefield and remains heavily reliant on sustained support from its Western allies.

Does Trump Support NATO Troops Being Deployed in Ukraine?

Zelensky revealed that Trump responded positively to French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion of deploying Western peacekeepers in Ukraine to enforce a ceasefire. Zelensky discussed the proposal during meetings with Trump and Macron in Paris last month.

Zelensky remains steadfast in his push for Ukraine to join NATO. While the alliance’s 32 member nations have pledged eventual membership, they have made it clear that accession will not occur until the war concludes.

“The deployment of European troops (to keep the peace in Ukraine) should not rule out Ukraine’s future in NATO,” Zelensky said in the television interview.

What People Are Saying

President Zelensky of Ukraine made comments about Trump’s role in possibly ending the war between Russia and Ukraine “I have no doubt that the new American president wants and will be able to bring peace and end [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s aggression,” Zelensky said in a video. “He understands that the former is impossible without the latter. Because this is not a street brawl where the two sides need to be pacified. This is a full-scale aggression by a deranged state against a civilized one. And I believe that, together with the United States, we are capable of the strength to force Russia into a just peace.”

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow is “not satisfied” with reported elements of the president-elect’s peace plan, which included accepting Ukraine’s ascent to NATO in 20 years and deploying a contingent of EU and U.K. peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Donald Trump’s pick for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg said last month the ongoing war between the two countries will be “resolved in the next few months” once the president-elect takes office.

What’s Next

Zelensky hailed his country’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region as a “very strong trump card” for future peace negotiations, framing it as a strategic achievement despite its limited affect on the overall conflict.

Last August, Ukrainian forces seized part of Kursk, marking the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II. While the move was seen as a bold counter to grim news from the front lines, military analysts report that Ukraine has since lost about 40 percent of the territory it initially captured, leaving the broader dynamics of the war largely unchanged.

Did Ukraine Fail in Its Goal of Taking Russian Territory?

Zelensky, however, emphasized the symbolic importance of the operation. He noted that it resonated with countries in Asia, South America, and Africa, while damaging Russia’s military reputation on the global stage. The incursion, he suggested, demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to challenge Russian dominance in key areas, even as the war drags on.

With Trump returning to the White House on Jan. 20, it remains to be seen how quickly he tries to implement peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press