Trump don call for immediate ceasefire for Ukraine and him talk say US withdrawal from NATO don dey possible

President-elect Donald Trump shake hands with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Notre Dame Cathedral as France’s iconic cathedral dey formally reopen its doors for di first time since one devastating fire nearly destroy di 861-year-old landmark for 2019, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024 for Paris (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP)

Donald Trump on Sunday push Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describe am as part of him active efforts as president-elect to end di war despite say e still get weeks before e go take office.

“Zelenskyy and Ukraine go like make deal and stop di madness,” Trump write for social media, refer to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

For one television interview wey air Sunday, Trump also talk say e go dey open to reduce military aid to Ukraine and pull di United States out of NATO.

Those na two threats wey don alarm Ukraine, NATO allies and many for di U.S. national security community.

Wen dem ask am for NBC’s “Meet the Press” if e dey actively work to end di nearly 3-year-old Ukraine war, Trump talk, “I dey.”

E refuse to talk if e don speak to Putin since e win election for November. “I no want talk anything about that, because I no want do anything wey fit impede di negotiation,” Trump talk.

Trump’s call for immediate ceasefire go beyond di public policy stands wey di Biden administration and Ukraine don take and draw cautious response from Zelenskyy.

E also mark Trump wading unusually deeply into efforts before him January 20 inauguration to resolve one of di major global crises wey di lame-duck Biden administration dey face.

Trump make him proposal aftaone weekend meeting for Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders for Paris, where many world leaders gather to celebrate di restoration of Notre Dame cathedral afta one devastating fire.

None of di advisers wey travel with am appear to get expertise on Ukraine.

Kyiv go like close deal, Trump write for him social media platform Truth Social.

“Dem suppose get immediate ceasefire and negotiations suppose begin.”

“I sabi Vladimir well. Dis na him time to act. China fit help. Di World dey wait!” Trump add.

E dey refer to mediation efforts by China wey many for di West don see as favoring Russia.

Zelenskyy describes him discussions Saturday with Trump, wey French President Emmanuel Macron bring togeda, as “constructive” but e no give further details.

Zelenskyy caution say Ukraine need “just and robust peace, wey Russians no go destroy within few years.”

“Wen we dey talk about effective peace with Russia, we suppose talk first of all about effective peace guarantees. Ukrainians want peace pass anybody. Russia bring war to our land,” e talk Sunday for one post on di Telegram messaging app.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov respond to Trump’s post by repeat Moscow’s long-standing message say e dey open to talks with Ukraine.

Peskov reference one decree by Zelenskyy from October 2022 wey declare di prospect of any talks “impossible” as long as Putin dey Russia’s leader.

Dat decree come afta Putin proclaim four occupied regions of Ukraine to be part of Russia, in wetin Kyiv and di West talk say na clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty.

Trump’s former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, warn say no such thing as quick fix to end Russia’s war with Ukraine.

“Wetin I dey worried about na dis kind flawed idea say Putin fit dey placated, right, say Putin go come to some kind of deal,” McMaster talk for “Fox News Sunday.”

“I think say e dey really important for President Trump to adhere to him instinct for disconnection peace through strength,” McMaster talk, add, “How about give dem wetin dem need to defend themselves, and then tell Putin, ‘You go lose dis war?”’

While Trump don talk before say e go like see quick ceasefire for Ukraine, him proposal Sunday dey framed as direct appeal to Russia.

Di quick responses from Ukraine and Russia show di seriousness wey dem regard di idea from di incoming American president.

Both Trump and President Joe Biden point dis weekend to Russia’s disengagement for Syria, where di Russian military largely move out of di way while Syrian rebels overthrow di country’s Russian-allied president, as evidence of di extent to which di Ukraine war don sap Russia’s resources.

Biden talk for di White House on Sunday say resistance from Ukraine don “leave Russia unable to protect its main ally for di Middle East.”

Di Biden administration and other supporters of Ukraine don make am clear say dem no dey press Ukraine for immediate truce.

Ukraine’s allies dey fear say quick deal go dey largely on di terms of its more powerful neighbor, potentially forcing damaging concessions on Ukraine and allowing Russia to resume di war again once e don build back up its military strength.

Trump dey portray himself as pesin wey fit make fast deals to resolve conflicts for Ukraine and di Middle East wey don frustrate many of di Biden administration’s own mediation efforts.

No prohibition dey on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and e dey common and fine for dem to do so unless those meetings dey designed to subvert or otherwise affect current U.S. policy.

Di Logan Act dey bar private citizens from trying to intervene in “disputes or controversies” between di United States and foreign powers without government approval.

But di 1799 statute don produce just two criminal cases, none since di 1850s and neither resulting in criminal conviction.

For di NBC interview wey dem tape Friday, Trump renew him warning to NATO allies say e no see continued U.S. participation in di Western military alliance as given during him second term.

Trump don long complain say European and Canadian governments for di mutual-defense bloc dey freeload on military spending by di U.S., by far di most powerful partner in NATO.

NATO and dia member governments talk say majority of countries for di bloc dey now hit voluntary targets for military spending, due in part to pressure from Trump for him first term.

Wen dem ask am whether e go consider di possibility of pulling out of NATO, Trump indicate say na open question.

“If dem dey pay dia bills, and if I think say dem dey treat us fairly, di answer na absolutely I go stay with NATO,” e talk.

But if not, dem ask if e go consider pulling di U.S. out of di alliance. Trump respond, “Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.”

Trump express di same openness wen dem ask if Ukraine suppose brace for possible cuts in U.S. aid. “Possibly,” e talk.

U.S. arms and other military support dey vital to Ukraine’s efforts to fend off invading Russian forces, and Biden don dey surge assistance to Ukraine before e leave office.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announce nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine.

Austin talk to him Ukrainian counterpart Sunday about di status of di war and U.S. military backing, di Pentagon talk.

Russian forces keep up dia grinding advance for eastern Ukraine, taking di village of Blahodatne, according to one statement Sunday by Russia’s defense ministry.

If confirmed, that gain go bring Russian forces one step closer toward capturing di town of Velyka Novosilka and disrupting one key logistics route for di Ukrainian army, military analysts talk.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook