United States of America President-elect Donald Trump has set his sights on ending the protracted Russia-Ukraine war as a key priority for his incoming administration, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives in the conflict.
During an address at the America First Policy Institute gala held at Mar-a-Lago, Trump outlined his vision for an assertive diplomatic stance aimed at bringing stability to war-torn regions.
"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," he said.
His remarks, delivered at the high-profile gathering on Thursday, marked his first significant public address since his victory in the 5 November presidential election.
Reflecting on the human toll of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump said, “Russia and Ukraine’s got to stop. I saw a report today. 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 it.”
Trump, who has frequently criticised American financial support for Ukraine, reiterated that his administration's goal is to end the war and address what he terms a “drain on US resources” stemming from military aid to the Ukrainian government.
At the event, Trump was joined by some of his closest advisors, including former Deputy Assistant Lisa Curtis, who served on Trump’s National Security Council as Senior Director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021.
Curtis said that while Trump has previously adopted a warmer tone towards Russian President Vladimir Putin than his predecessors, his approach must ensure lasting consequences for Russia’s actions.
"President (elect) Trump has in the past talked more favourably about (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin than most US presidents. He has also talked about trying to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. We haven't seen yet how he's going to do that," Curtis remarked.
Curtis added, "It needs to be done in a way that Russia faces some consequences for its actions…in a way that doesn't encourage other US adversaries to try to illegally invade their neighbour’s territory."
Curtis currently holds the position of Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Programme at the Center for a New American Security.
Among the attendees were tech magnate Elon Musk and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom Trump announced as his picks to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Hindu-American Tulsi Gabbard, meanwhile, was nominated as Trump’s choice for Director of National Intelligence.
Trump hailed the appointees as part of a team prepared to restore America’s priorities both domestically and abroad.
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