Washington DC [US], January 24 : Highlighting the massive implications of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump reiterated the urgent need for a peace settlement to end the "horrible" war and expressed his desire to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin soon.
Trump described the conflict as one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II, emphasising that millions of lives have been lost on battlefields and farmlands, and that millions of soldiers are being killed.
While virtually addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF), Trump said, "Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now hopefully underway. It's so important to get that done, millions of soldiers are being killed. Nobody has seen anything like it since World War II. They are laying dead all over the fields, farmlands... It's time to end it."
He added, "I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended. That's not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. It is from the standpoint of millions of lives that are being wasted. Beautiful, young people are being shot on the battlefield. I have seen pictures of what has taken place and it is a carnage. We really have to stop that war, that war is horrible."
Speaking on the global impact of oil prices, Trump called on Saudi Arabia and the OPEC grouping to reduce oil costs, asserting that lower prices would help bring the war to an immediate end.
"I am also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) to bring down the cost of oil. You have to bring it down which, frankly, I am surprised they didn't do before the election. That didn't show a lot of love by them not doing it. I was a little surprised by that. If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," the US President said.
He added, "Right now, the price is high enough that the war will continue. You have to bring down the oil price, you have to end that war. They should have done it long ago. They are very responsible, to a certain extent, for what's taking place. Millions of lives are being lost. With oil prices going down, I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately and likewise they should be dropping all over the world."
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump had again called for an immediate resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and warned of potential economic consequences for Russia, including "taxes, tariffs, and sanctions."
Trump also emphasised his long-standing admiration for the Russian people and his past positive relationship with President Vladimir Putin.
"I'm not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big favour," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"Settle now, and stop this ridiculous war! It's only going to get worse. If we don't make a "deal," and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to 'make a deal.' No more lives should be lost," the post added.