Trump: There is only one strategy for ending the war in Ukraine and it depends on Putin

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” after taking office next week.

He did not give a timeline for the meeting, which would be the first between the two countries’ leaders since Russia’s war with Ukraine began in February 2022, Reuters reported.

epa06073356 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald J. Trump (R) meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, 07 July 2017. The G20 Summit (or G-20 or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for governments from 20 major economies. The summit is taking place in Hamburg from 07 to 08 July 2017. EPA/MICHAEL KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL / POOL MANDATORY CREDIT

Asked about his strategy for ending the war, Trump told Newsmax: “Well, there’s only one strategy and that’s up to Putin, and I can’t imagine he’s too thrilled with the way it’s going because he’s not doing too well either.”

“And I know he wants to meet and I’ll meet with him soon. I would have done it sooner, but … you have to get into the office. You have to be there for some things,” added Trump, who will be officially inaugurated on January 20.

US Congressman Mike Walz, the new national security adviser, said on Sunday that he expected a phone call between Trump and Putin in the “coming days and weeks.”