United States President-elect Donald Trump has declared that resolving the Ukraine crisis will be his foremost international priority when he assumes office next month, describing the Middle East as a comparatively “less difficult situation.”
“I think we have to solve the Ukraine problem with Russia,” the U.S. president-elect told *Paris Match* in an interview recorded on Saturday and released on Wednesday.
“Both those countries are losing numbers that nobody can believe. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are being killed,” Trump stated in response to a question about his top priority on the global stage.
While acknowledging the importance of the Middle East, Trump emphasized that the Ukraine conflict demanded immediate attention. “The Middle East is of course a big priority. But I think that the Middle East is a less difficult situation than Ukraine with Russia,” he said.
“But those are the two situations that we have to solve, and we have to solve them quickly. A lot of people are dying,” Trump added.
Trump traveled to Paris on Saturday to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which had been under restoration following a devastating fire in 2019. During his visit, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking his first international trip since being re-elected.
“We had a good meeting with President Zelensky,” Trump confirmed.
Following their discussion, Zelensky expressed gratitude for Trump’s commitment to addressing the ongoing war. “We are grateful for President Trump’s strong resolve to end the war in Ukraine,” Zelensky said on Tuesday.
Trump, who once claimed he could end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours, reiterated his push for immediate action. On Sunday, he posted on his Truth Social platform, writing, “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.”
### Syria Policy: Non-Involvement
In the interview, Trump also addressed the situation in Syria, where longtime president Bashar al-Assad was recently overthrown in a rapid rebel offensive. Trump made it clear that his administration would not intervene in the country’s affairs.
“Syria will have to take care of itself,” Trump said. “We are not involved in Syria.”
