Ukrainian soldiers vowed to fight on yesterday after Donald Trump abandoned his promise to end the war with Russia “within 24 hours” of taking office.
Trump repeated the promise during his campaign, but his advisers have now admitted that it will take months to end the conflict between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
Trump claims to have a working relationship with the ruthless Putin, whom he plans to meet “very soon” after occupying the Oval Office.
His 24-hour promise was his biggest foreign policy promise, but it evaporated yesterday amid the pageantry of his second inauguration in Washington.
Military officer Vitaly, 48, said: “Everyone knows that you can only half believe what Trump says, but we hope he can speed up peace talks.
“Ukraine will still have to give up territory, but for now we must keep fighting to keep as much of our land as possible.”
Ukraine claimed that 150,000 Russians were killed last year, more than in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi said yesterday that the Kremlin’s total military losses since the start of the war 35 months ago had reached a staggering 434,000 soldiers.
Syrskyi said: “The total losses, according to our estimates, were more than 434,000 people, of which approximately 150,000 died in one year… in 2024.
“In this year of hostilities, they lost more than in the previous two years of the war.”
Russia questions the figures.
British troops could monitor future Russia-Ukraine peace deal, says Keir Starmer
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