US President-elect Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him not to escalate the war in Ukraine, a source with knowledge of the conversation first reported by the Washington Post told Reuters on Sunday, the 10th of November, while US President Joe Biden plans to persuade Trump not to stop supporting Ukraine, according to the agency.
Trump and Putin spoke on Thursday, the source said, although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that no talks had taken place.
“This is completely untrue. It is pure fiction, it is just false information,” he told reporters.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it was not informed in advance of the Trump-Putin conversation and could neither confirm nor dispute it.
Trump, a Republican, will take office on the 20th of January after he won the 5th of November presidential election and Biden has invited Trump to come to the Oval Office on Wednesday for talks.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that Biden’s main message would be a commitment to a peaceful transition of power, and that he would also talk to Trump about what is happening in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
“President Biden will have the opportunity in the next 70 days to convince Congress and the next administration that the US should not abandon Ukraine, that neglecting Ukraine means more instability in Europe,” Sullivan told CBS News’ “Face the Nation”.
Sullivan’s comments came as Ukraine attacked Moscow with at least 34 drones on Sunday – the largest drone strike on the capital since the start of the war.
Asked whether Biden would ask Congress to pass legislation to provide more funding for Ukraine, Sullivan replied negatively.
“I’m not here to make a specific legislative proposal. But President Biden will indicate that we need continued resources for Ukraine beyond his term,” said Sullivan.
According to the US Government Accountability Office, more than 174 billion US dollars in aid was provided to Ukraine under Biden, with Trump and other Republicans criticising this aid.
Under Trump, aid to Ukraine is likely to decrease as Republicans take control of the US Senate with a 52-seat majority.
Control of the US House of Representatives in the next Congress is not yet clear as votes are still being counted. According to Edison Research, the Republicans have won 213 seats, just short of the 218 needed for a majority. If the Republicans win both houses, it will mean that most of Trump’s plans will have a much easier time getting through Congress.
Trump has claimed that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he were President and has promised to end the war quickly.
Trump spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, with Zelenskyy saying on Thursday that he did not know any details of Trump’s plan to end the war in Ukraine quickly, in which case he thought Ukraine might have to give up territory.
US Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, a Trump ally who is considered one of the main contenders for the post of Secretary of State, criticised US funding for Ukraine in a CBS interview.
“The American people want sovereignty protected here in America before we spend our funds and resources on protecting the sovereignty of another country,” Hagerty said.
As the 2.5-year war enters what may be its final phase, with Russian forces advancing rapidly, peace talks could soon resume. Moscow’s forces have occupied about a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Russia claims that the war cannot end until its annexed territories are recognised, with Kyiv insisting on the return of all its territories, a position largely supported by its Western allies.