US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Thursday, urging him to avoid escalating the Ukraine war, according to sources cited by The Washington Post. This call, made from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, occurred shortly after his unexpected election victory over Kamala Harris.

While Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, did not confirm the conversation, anonymous sources revealed that Trump emphasized America's substantial military presence in Europe and expressed a desire to work toward a quick resolution of the Ukraine conflict.

In addition to Putin, Trump spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with both leaders agreeing to pursue peace in Europe. Meanwhile, Trump also held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which reportedly included Elon Musk.

The Biden administration is pushing to send Ukraine as much support as possible before Trump’s January 20 inauguration, utilizing the remaining $6 billion of funding. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated the goal is to strengthen Ukraine's position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.

The Kremlin has responded cautiously but optimistically to Trump's return, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noting Trump’s emphasis on peace rather than confrontation.

Trump’s election has prompted concerns about U.S. support for Ukraine, especially as he has previously criticized U.S. aid, framing it as beneficial only to defense companies and foreign policy elites. His son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a satirical social media clip implying that Ukraine's financial support may wane soon.

Trump's possible approach includes pushing for territorial compromises, a strategy Kyiv firmly opposes, fearing it would encourage further aggression from Moscow. European allies like Britain and France are also reportedly anxious about unilateral actions by Trump.

The Post reported that Trump briefly mentioned the topic of territory in his call with Putin, though details remain unclear. Meanwhile, hostilities in Ukraine have intensified, with significant drone attacks from both sides this weekend. Russia launched 145 drones on Ukraine, while Russia claimed to have downed 34 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow.

[AFP Inputs]