[91299] Trump's remarks on the war in Ukraine and reports of diplomatic contacts

Trump's statements on the conquest of Kyiv and diplomatic contacts

US President Donald Trump caused a stir in the Ukrainian media after he was interviewed by Axios and claimed that Russia could have conquered Kyiv in just four hours and ended the war on its first day. According to Trump, as reported in the Times of Ukraine, the Russian failure occurred because a Russian general chose to lead tanks through a swampy area instead of using highways, which led to the tanks being trapped in mud "almost like quicksand." Trump emphasized that he "was very tough on Russia" and noted that he provided Ukraine with Javelin missiles.

Most Ukrainian Telegram channels reacted with reservation and sharp criticism of the President's words. Ukraine Online and Оперативний ЗСУ compared the "four-hour" claim to the failed "Kyiv in three days" narrative from the beginning of the invasion, while ЦАПЛІЄНКО_UKRAINE FIGHTS and other channels questioned Trump's judgment regarding the events of the war.

At the same time, reports were published in the Economist, which were covered extensively by ukrain1an ꑭ news and Букви, about the existence of unofficial contacts between Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington. According to the sources, a scenario for a two-stage ceasefire is being examined: first, the creation of a 50–70 km buffer zone on both sides of the front line, and then conducting negotiations on a broader peace agreement.

Economist Oksy Kuch, in an interview with Новини.LIVE, estimated that the war could continue for years depending on the political results in the US, and warned that the transition from a war economy to a peace economy could lead to a restraint in economic growth in Ukraine due to an expected decline in foreign aid.