Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, stated on Nov. 7 that Western nations should acknowledge Russia's current upper hand in the Ukraine conflict and initiate peace negotiations, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS and the Kyiv Independent.
Shoigu's comments came shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump won the presidential election on Nov. 5. Trump’s victory arrives at a sensitive time in the war, with Russian forces making significant advances in Donetsk Oblast. Known for his stance against extensive military aid to Ukraine, Trump has previously expressed his desire to bring an end to U.S. involvement in the conflict.
The former Defense Minister accused the West of attempting to orchestrate a strategic defeat of Russia through Ukraine, asserting that this effort has failed.
“The West now faces a choice: continue funding the war and risking further harm to Ukraine's population, or accept the realities on the ground and begin negotiations,” Shoigu said.
On the campaign trail, Trump had been critical of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that Zelensky and President Joe Biden bore responsibility for the conflict rather than Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has referred to Zelensky as a “salesman” for securing what he considers excessive military aid.
Trump has frequently stated that, if elected, he would end the war in Ukraine within "24 hours." In his victory speech, he reiterated this commitment, declaring, "I'm going to stop the wars."
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump's proposed plan could involve delaying Ukraine’s NATO membership by two decades, establishing a ceasefire along the current front lines, and creating a demilitarized zone in eastern Ukraine.
