US President Donald Trump delivered his annual State of the Union address to Congress, during which he said the US is working hard to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“We are working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and the slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying every month. Think about it, 25,000 soldiers die every month. A war that would never happen if I were president,” Trump said in a speech on the night of 25 February Kiev time.
The US President during the speech also mentioned 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Irina Zarutskaya, who was killed in Charlotte, North Carolina, last August.
“She fled a brutal war but was murdered by a criminal… Mrs Zarutskaya, tonight I promise you that we will provide justice for your wonderful daughter Irina,” Trump said, addressing the mother of the deceased, Anna Zarutskaya, who was present during his speech. Earlier, US President Donald Trump called for the death penalty for the 34-year-old suspect in the murder of the Ukrainian woman.
Several rounds of trilateral meetings between Ukraine, the US and Russia on ending the war took place during January and February. No specific results were reported. However, as a result of the meeting on 5 February, the delegations reached an agreement on a prisoner-of-war exchange, the first in five months.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steven Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News the day before that he expects “good news” in the coming weeks, and also admits that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The US President himself said before the talks in Geneva on 17-18 February that Ukraine should “get to the negotiating table quickly”. Earlier, Trump said that he believes Russia wants to conclude an agreement amid the war in Ukraine.
Despite US efforts to mediate an end to the war, Russia has shown no willingness to back down from its tough demands, which include Ukraine giving up territories in Donbass. The Kremlin continues to reject Western security guarantees for Ukraine and has signalled compliance with its maximalist goals in the war, ISW analysts noted earlier.
Meanwhile, Ukraine insists on strong security guarantees from the United States and European allies to help protect it from future Russian aggression.