Notwithstanding the pronouncements of new US President Donald Trump that he could stop the Russia-Ukraine War in 1 day, the conflict has yet no indication to stop. Both Moscow and Kyiv made new airstrikes in the overnight hours on Tuesday, as well as in the ongoing intense exchange of missile and drone attacks.
Russia claimed to have intercepted 55 Ukrainian drones of which over half were destroyed over their border territories. Simultaneously, the authorities in Kyiv reportedly hit Russian oil storage near Liski in the Voronezh region, igniting a fire for the second time in a week. Ukrainian forces also struck an aviation plant in Smolensk, allegedly employed to manufacture combat aircraft, causing numerous explosions.
No Peace in Sight as Leaders Exchange Rhetoric
At the same time and in the same news, as President Trump claimed on Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “ready for peace,” the Russian Ministry of Defence reported that its troops had taken the village of Vovkove in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, one of the main battle lines of the ongoing war. Kyiv has not yet responded to this claim.
Trump highlighted in his inaugural remarks that Russian leader Vladimir Putin stood to “destroy” the Russian Federation if he kept going with the conflict, due to economic difficulties such as high inflation. But to date, Trump has not disclosed any specific proposal for peace. His team has also all but confirmed that one potential solution lies in acknowledging the Russian annexation of Crimea and territories within Ukraine’s currently occupied areas, a move that will have almost inevitable pushback.
Russia-Ukraine War Could Have Been Stopped as Trump Enters Day 1 of Presidency
Moscow’s(foreign policy) adviser Yuri Ushakov disclosed that no specific proposals from the new U.S. government have been received so far in relation to a settlement. In the meantime, Putin strengthened ties to China during a phone conversation with President Xi Jinping, reemphasizing their shared commitment to developing a multipolar world arrangement and standing together on the strategic interests of the other side.
In the meantime, the international community remains closely monitored for any indication of de-escalation in relation to the war.
Also, see: List of Donald Trump’s Day 1 Orders as 47th U.S. President