Official announcements from the Russian or Ukrainian governments or major news outlets

Trump Urges Ceasefire After Assad Flees Syria; Calls on Russia, Ukraine, and China to Negotiate

Dec 8, 2024, 11:42 AM

President-elect Donald Trump responded to the recent collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, announcing that "Assad is gone" after Russia withdrew its support and Assad fled the country. Trump noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in a "weakened state" following these events. He called for an immediate ceasefire and the start of negotiations to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, mentioning that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "wants to make a deal." Emphasizing the devastating toll of the conflict, Trump stated that "hundreds of thousands of people are being killed" and that "cities have been emptied out and demolished." He urged China to help facilitate the negotiations, expressing his familiarity with Putin by saying, "I know Vladimir well. This is the time to act."