WASHINGTON, December 29. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has acknowledged the need to address the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict, as well as Russia’s red lines in the settlement process, Professor Peter Kuznick, director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University in Washington, told TASS while commenting on Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Zelensky on December 28.

In his view, the US leader "clearly has more respect and liking for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin than he does for Zelensky." "My impression was that Trump sympathizes with Putin's red lines and insistence on dealing with root causes [of the Ukrainian crisis] and still believes that Putin has the upper hand and will win eventually on the battlefield what Zelensky refuses to sacrifice at the negotiating table," Kuznick noted.

"The discussion of needing to hold a referendum in Ukraine to sanction any territorial changes suggested to me that Trump emphasized that ultimately Ukraine will have to meet Russia's demand that it relinquish control of the entirety of the Donbass," the expert said. He added that Trump and Zelensky failed to reach a consensus on security guarantees and control over the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.

On December 28, Trump welcomed Zelensky to his Mar-a-Lago residence near West Palm Beach, Florida. At a joint press conference following the talks, the White House host acknowledged that the territorial issue remains unresolved. He said that Russia, the US, and Ukraine are now "much closer" to an agreement than ever before. According to the US president, a deal could be reached within a few weeks. However, Trump also admitted that an agreement might not follow at all.