Nobel Laureate Urges Trump to Use Strength to End Ukraine War “`

President Trump is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the protracted conflict in Ukraine, a war he terms “ridiculous” and which began almost three years ago. His 2024 campaign rhetoric frequently emphasized ending global conflicts, including the Ukraine war, drawing on Reagan’s “peace through strength” policy. Now in office, Trump is publicly demanding Putin enter negotiations.

“I’m not looking to hurt Russia,” Trump stated on Truth Social, while simultaneously threatening “high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States.” This threat follows reports of Putin’s growing economic concerns stemming from the ongoing war.

Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, believes Trump should leverage his position to achieve a resolution.

“Russia’s unrelenting aggression necessitates enduring international security guarantees. Any peace agreement must address Russia’s hostility to protect Ukraine and the fundamental principles of freedom and democracy,” Matviichuk declared.

In a Digital interview, Matviichuk stressed the need not just to end the February 2022 conflict, but also to prevent Putin from realizing his “geopolitical objectives,” as she believes the Russian leader is not genuinely interested in peace.

“When designing a peace process, we must build in security guarantees that render Putin’s [geopolitical] goal unattainable,” Matviichuk explained.

Trump informed White House reporters on Thursday that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to negotiate.

In his first interview since his return to the White House, Trump stated that Zelenskyy “has had enough.” While condemning Putin, Trump also criticized Zelenskyy, suggesting he should prioritize negotiation over continued fighting.

Reuters reported in November that Putin is open to discussing a peace proposal, potentially agreeing to a ceasefire along existing battle lines.

Since the conflict began, Ukrainian civilians have adapted to wartime conditions. Matviichuk, based in Kyiv, describes life as existing in “total uncertainty.” Despite this, her focus remains on documenting Russia’s atrocities; she has cataloged approximately 80,000 Russian war crimes in the near three years of conflict.

“We don’t want to live in Putin’s world,” Matviichuk said. “We want to live in a world where democracy and the rule of law and freedom are respected.”

Ashley Carnahan and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

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