Trump hopes to end Ukraine war in six months, comments on NATO

Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Russia's war against Ukraine is now "much more complicated," but he hopes to end it within six months. He made the remarks during a press conference on January 7, following Congress' confirmation of his election victory.

"That war could escalate to be much worse than it is right now... I hope it can be ended in six months," CNN quoted Trump as saying.

Trump also claimed that Russia and the West always understood that Ukraine's NATO membership was impossible. He further alleged that an agreement had been reached between Ukraine and Russia that "would have been satisfactory to Ukraine and everyone else."

"My view is that it was always understood. In fact, I believe they [Russia and Ukraine] had a deal. And then Biden broke it. ... Biden said, 'No, you have to be able to join NATO," said Trump.

He said that this situation brought NATO right to Russia's doorstep, and dictator Vladimir Putin had long warned he didn't want Ukraine involved in NATO.

Trump also suggested that Russia invaded Ukraine after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"And because of that, I think Russia went and attacked Ukraine when they saw that. They said, 'these guys are incompetent – they don't know what they're doing'. But we know what we're doing now," the newly elected president said.