Source: Trump during a rally in Washington on the eve of his inauguration, CNN citing sources
Direct quote from Trump: "I will end the war in Ukraine. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East. I will prevent World War III."
Word for word CNN: "Trump has instructed his aides to arrange a call with Putin in the days following his swearing-in with the objective of discussing a face-to-face meeting in the coming months to try to end the war in Ukraine."
Details: Even as a presidential candidate, Trump promised to end the war within one day of taking office.
Word for word CNN: "However, on the eve of his inauguration, with little to suggest that the nearly three-year war is nearing its end, it is almost certain that he will break this promise."
Details: Nonetheless, Trump and his team hope to quickly begin working on a settlement plan that could be implemented in the first months of his presidency - including through direct talks with Putin.
Officials from Trump’s national security team began preparing for a phone call with Putin several weeks ago. It remains unclear whether a date for the conversation has been finalized.
As soon as Trump takes office, American and Russian officials may start serious efforts to organize a personal meeting. The new president has stated that negotiations are already being arranged, but the Kremlin indicated it would wait until Trump is inaugurated to begin official preparations. Switzerland and Serbia have expressed their readiness to host the meeting.
The publication notes that any negotiations between Trump and Putin will reflect a "sharp departure from President Joe Biden's approach."
After all, Biden has not spoken directly with Putin for nearly three years.
Word for word CNN: "Trump sees things differently. His perspective, described by someone familiar with his thinking, is that direct interaction with Putin is exactly what is needed to find a solution that will end the war."
Details: It remains uncertain how much Trump plans to continue Biden's administration's strategy of providing Kyiv with weapons and intelligence, and - aside from his opposition to Ukraine joining NATO - he has not stated what security guarantees he might agree to in order to satisfy President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He also did not clarify who would pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine, although based on his previous comments, it is unlikely to be the United States.
What preceded this: A few days ago, elected U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he is already working on organizing a meeting with Putin.
In the Kremlin, commenting on this statement, they noted that the Russian leader is "open to contacts".
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that Kyiv expects a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and elected U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration on January 20.