Trump: ‘I Have My Own Deadline,’ Russia and Ukraine ‘Both Want Peace’

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 25 ------ “There’s a lot of hatred there. There’s a lot of blood, a lot of disgust, but I hope we’re gonna get there for the sake of a lot of young people that are dying,” Trump said. He seized the moment in front of the world’s cameras, as he welcomed Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and finance minister Jens Stoltenberg, former secretary-general of NATO to the White House Cabinet Room. 

Trump was joined by his Cabinet Secretaries Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Scott Bessent as well as his National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.  As he entered the White House with Støre, Trump was asked by a reporter if he thought Putin would listen to him. “Yes,” he replied. 

The US President, who campaigned on ending Russia’s war “overnight” after taking office, told reporters in the Cabinet Room that he has his “own deadline” that both Ukraine and Russia have to negotiate. “We’re waiting a long time, they have to get to the table, and I think they’re going to get peace,” he said. When pressed more about the deadline, Trump said, “we want it to be fast.” “The Prime Minister is helping us, he wants it to be fast too,” he added, referring to Støre, adding that Norway should just “keep doing what they’re doing”.  

Trump also spoke about NATO, calling the Alliance important for Europe, saying Stoltenberg “did a great job” when he was at the helm. NATO, he went on to add, wouldn’t have as much money without the US. Norway’s Prime Minister Stoere also saluted Trump “for taking very important initiatives to get this conflict to an end.” “I look forward to going into some details because we are at a critical moment,” he concluded. 

Source: kyivpost.com