Strategic Considerations for Trump’s Second Term: Impact on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian Foreign Minister

14 Jan 2025 4 3

Mike Waltz

Inserted 5 days ago

“I just don't think it's realistic to say we're going to expel every Russian from every inch of Ukrainian soil, even Crimea. President Trump has acknowledged that reality, and I think it's been a huge step forward that the entire world is acknowledging that reality. Now let's move forward.”

US Congressman set to serve as Trump’s national security adviser

12 Jan 2025 6 5

Keith Kellog

Inserted 1 week ago

“People need to understand that he's [Donald Trump] not trying to give something to Putin or to the Russians. He's actually trying to save Ukraine and to save their sovereignty. And he's going to make sure that it's equitable and that it's fair. Biden's biggest mistake was refusing to talk to Vladimir Putin after 2022, while Trump is determined to do so. Trump will be able to propose an acceptable solution to Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the near term. I would like to set a goal on a personal and professional level. I would say let's set it at a hundred days.”

Trump-nominated Ukraine-Russia envoy

08 Jan 2025 10 3

Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Inserted 2 weeks ago

“Trump could be crucial. This is the most important thing for us. He, his qualities - they are there. He could be crucial in this war. He is able to stop Putin, or to be more fair, to help us stop Putin. He can do it.”

President of Ukraine

02 Jan 2025 4 2

Olga Oliker

Inserted 2 weeks ago

“The smart money right now is that [Trump] can probably get the Russians and the Ukrainians to talk to both him and each other.”

Europe and Central Asia program director at Crisis Group

31 Dec 2024 5 4

Donald Trump

Inserted 4 weeks ago

“One of the things I want to do, and quickly, and President Putin said that he wants to meet with me as soon as possible… We have to wait for this; we have to end this war. This war is horrible. This war would have never happened if I was president. I will end the war in Ukraine. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East. I will prevent, I promise, World War III. We are very close to World War III.”

US President-elect

22 Dec 2024 7 4

Olaf Scholz

Inserted 1 month ago

“It's important to ensure long-term aid to Ukraine - it must be clear that we are prepared to enable support as long as it is needed. Air defense, artillery and ammunition are high on the list. My impression from talking to the president-elect [Donald Trump] is that good cooperation between Europe and the U.S. is possible. The principle is always: no decisions over Ukrainians' heads, and that of course means over those of the European states.”

Apnews

Chancellor of Germany

19 Dec 2024 8 4

Donald Trump

Inserted 1 month ago

“We've got a little progress. It's a tough one… People are being killed at levels nobody's ever seen. Ukraine is a land of flat terrain, where the only thing that stops a bullet is the human body. It's a very flat surface; it's great farming land. It's the breadbasket for the world, actually. The war in Ukraine is far worse than people are reporting, for both sides. We're going to do our best; we've been doing our best. We'll see what happens. Since the elections, I've been working every day to put the world at ease a little bit and to get rid of wars.”

US President-elect

16 Dec 2024 3 3

Alyona Getmanchuk

Inserted 1 month ago

“They want to secure their place on the new U.S. administration's radar. They're trying to establish contacts, build bridges. They're trying to explain to Trump and his people that if there is someone who doesn't want to negotiate now, it's Putin, not Zelensky. Part of the Ukrainian tactic is to show that they're constructive, realist.”

Nytimes

Head of a Kyiv-based think tank, New Europe Center

14 Dec 2024 3 4

Sergei Ryabkov

Inserted 1 month ago

“As for us, we are open to holding an honest dialogue that is based on mutual respect and consideration of interests. The big question is whether the new [US] administration will jump on this opportunity. By throwing shade at the current [US] administration, Trump and his camp send mixed signals, adhering to the principles of 'America first' and 'peace through strength.' This high and mighty attitude doesn't sit well with Russia.”

Tass

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

06 Dec 2024 3 3

Donald Trump

Inserted 1 month ago

“Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration. Kellogg was with me right from the beginning. Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!”

US President-elect

27 Nov 2024 2 2

Nikolay Mitrokhin

Inserted 1 month ago

“While conclusions about the influence of individual members of Trump's team are purely speculative, there are signs that Zelenskyy has given up on his principal position about the return of all occupied areas, including the Crimean peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014. Before Trump's election, Kyiv insisted that it would not recognise the occupied territories as part of Russia. There is also a Putin factor. The Russian leader's conduct could run contrary to the expectations of Trump's team and cause an upset, before they are in conflict with Zelenskyy and Ukraine's Western supporters.”

Research Fellow at Bremen University

26 Nov 2024 3 2

Aleksey Kushch

Inserted 1 month ago

“The Ukrainian government is dismayed as to what to do when Trump returns to the White House in January. There are no new strategies, everyone wants to change their tune on the go. A key moment will be when Trump appoints a new US ambassador to Kyiv and a special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine war.”

Kyiv-based analyst

26 Nov 2024 5 2

Ihor Romanenko

Inserted 1 month ago

“We're getting ready for the worst-case scenario, when [Trump] stops all the supplies. Trump has also said that if Moscow does not start peace talks, he will up the ante by supplying advanced arms to Kyiv. But it is hard to expect anything concrete from him. There are expectations, but it's like talking to the wind.”

Lieutenant General - Former deputy chief of Ukraine’s general staff of armed forces

26 Nov 2024 3 3

Mykhailo Podolyak

Inserted 1 month ago

“Trump may not cancel outgoing President Joe Biden's permission to use high-precision US-supplied missiles for strikes inside Russia if he profits from something. It can be a reputational profit, a political profit or an economic profit. It can even be a profit [achieved] through humiliating Putin. Any profit will suit him.”

Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

21 Nov 2024 5 1

Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Inserted 2 months ago

“I have had contacts with President Trump. I only understand direct contacts between presidents. As for the teams - they have their own contacts... Regarding the processes being started between our teams - I am confident they will be taking place.”