Biden administration announces twelfth-hour aid package to Kyiv as Trump seeks Putin meeting.

• Donald Trump, the president-elect, suggested a meeting with Putin to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
• Trump stated on Thursday that President Putin wants to meet and end the war, which is a bloody mess with millions of soldiers being killed.
• The U.S. Department of Defense declared a $500 billion aid package for Ukraine on Thursday, just 10 days before President Joe Biden's departure from the White House.

While the outgoing Biden administration finalized its aid package for Ukraine, President-elect Trump suggested a meeting with Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Trump stated during a Thursday press conference that he wants to meet with the leader, but he would prefer to hold off on the encounter until after his presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. The meeting's format, whether as a summit or state visit, has not been determined yet.

"President Putin has expressed a desire to meet, and we must put an end to this bloody conflict. Millions of soldiers have been killed in the war, and it is a tragedy," Trump stated. "The shocking revelation is the sheer number of people who were killed in that war."

Putin has historically had a more cordial relationship with Trump than many Western leaders, who have increasingly distanced themselves from the Kremlin since the February 2022 invasion of its Eastern European neighbor.

The investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections scrutinized the strength of Trump's relationship with Putin, with Trump denying any influence from the Kremlin despite his victory in the vote.

Putin is open to meeting Trump without any reservations, according to Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, who stated this on Friday in comments translated by Google. However, the details of such a reconciliation have not yet been finalized and will likely be postponed until after Trump's inauguration. Peskov emphasized that Russia welcomes the president-elect's decision to prioritize dialogue.

Efforts to mediate a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, led by Western powers and Chinese mediator Xi Jinping, have not been successful due to conflicting red lines set by Moscow and Kyiv. Moscow demands the retention of annexed territories, while Kyiv insists on the removal of Russian troops from Ukrainian land before joining negotiations.

Trump's willingness to collaborate with Putin diverges from the previous administration's stance, which has been staunchly supportive of Ukraine throughout the conflict.

Since the start of the invasion, Biden's government has provided approximately $65.9 billion in security assistance to Kyiv. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a $500 billion aid tranche for Ukraine, just 10 days before Biden's scheduled departure from the White House.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has been going on for three years, has led to an increase in energy prices and global inflation due to Western sanctions on Russian resources. Trump previously claimed that he could resolve the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, but he did not reveal his methods or present a concrete ceasefire proposal.

He has also strongly condemned the U.S.'s spending to bolster Ukraine's defense, challenged the U.S.'s continued involvement in the NATO alliance, and once referred to Zelenskyy as "perhaps the greatest salesman of any politician in history," implying that the aid provided to Ukraine was more a result of Zelenskyy's political skills than Ukraine's actual requirements.

Trump's remarks and hints of trade protectionism have sparked broader fears that potential White House pressures or the withdrawal of U.S. military support could force Kyiv to make territorial concessions to its invader.

The ministry spokesman, Heorhii Tykhyi, stated on Friday that Ukraine anticipates a meeting between President-elect Trump and President Zelensky to occur shortly after the new president takes office, as reported by Reuters.