On November 10, 2024, according to Epoch Times, Bryan Lanza, a strategist involved in the Trump campaign, stated in an interview aired on Saturday that the primary goal of the new government regarding the Ukraine issue should be to establish peace, rather than helping Ukraine reclaim lost territories including Crimea.
Lanza, who was a political advisor to Trump during the 2016 and 2024 US presidential campaigns, mentioned that post-election, he did not continue to work for the President.
He told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that the Trump administration would ask Ukrainian President Zelensky for a more realistic vision of peace. Lanza emphasized that if Zelensky insists on only focusing on reclaiming Crimea for peace, it indicates a lack of seriousness as Crimea is already lost. He further added that if the priority is to reclaim Crimea and have American soldiers fight for it, Ukraine would have to rely on itself.
Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula back in 2014 and launched the Ukraine war in February 2022, currently holding less than 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In the interview with the BBC, Lanza did not touch on the eastern regions of Ukraine but stated that reclaiming Crimea from Russia is impractical and not a goal of the United States. He stressed the importance of peace and stopping bloodshed as the top priorities.
He urged for a realistic vision of peace that focuses on dialogue rather than a victory at all costs. In response, Zelensky’s advisor Dmytro Lytvyn described Lanza’s remarks as pressuring Ukraine towards “peace,” while in reality, it is Putin who desires more conflict, citing recent attacks by Russian forces.
Throughout his campaign, Trump consistently declared that his primary task was to end the war, without disclosing specific plans. It is expected that post-inauguration, Trump will engage in peace negotiations with close aides.
Zelensky has repeatedly stated that lasting peace can only be achieved by removing all Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, including returning all occupied territories like Crimea, as outlined in his “Victory Plan” proposed last month, which also includes Ukraine joining NATO – a move strongly condemned by Russia.
Ukraine has sought modern weapons from the US and requested authorization to use them against Russian targets.
Data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany shows that the US has been Ukraine’s largest arms supplier during the war, with weapons and equipment deliveries or commitments totaling $55.5 billion from February 2022 to the end of June 2024.
Initially failing to advance towards Kyiv, the Russian army later occupied villages along the eastern frontlines.
Trump and Zelensky recently had a phone call post-US election. A source from the Ukrainian President’s office revealed to the BBC that the conversation lasted about half an hour, characterized as more on a gentle and pleasant note than substantive.
Russian President Putin congratulated Trump on his reelection and praised his courage during an attempted assassination in July. Putin also noted Trump’s remarks on restoring relations with Russia and aiding to end the Ukraine crisis as worthy of attention.