Top Republican members of the House of Representatives say lawmakers have opened discussions about Russia’s war in Ukraine in an effort to carry out President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to quickly end the conflict there.

Lawmakers told VOA’s Ukrainian service they are optimistic Trump can achieve his goal.

Republican Rep. Mike Waltz, who was nominated by Trump this week to be his national security adviser, told VOA that “the president has been clear about bringing both sides to the table and is focused on ending the war and not perpetuating it.”

Waltz said that while Trump did not address Russia’s war in Ukraine when he addressed lawmakers at their leadership meeting on Wednesday, he said discussions about the war were taking place “on the sidelines.” He did not provide further details.

Republican Representative Mike Rogers, who serves as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, was bullish on Trump’s ability to negotiate a truce.

“I expect the president to negotiate a ceasefire before the end of the year,” he told VOA.

Asked how the United States would pressure Russia to lay down its weapons, he said: “I have an idea of ​​what it is but I’m not going to talk about it.”

Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and urged him not to escalate the war, according to US media, first reported in Washington Post. The Kremlin denies that the conversation took place.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who has been a strong supporter of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, told VOA that Trump wants a “very strong military presence in Europe,” part of a “path of deterrence.” . which will eventually bring us to a period of negotiation.”

However, he cautioned that he does not believe Ukraine has enough leverage right now for successful negotiations with Russia.

Russia and Ukraine are engaged in fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, as uncertainty grows over how a Trump presidency will affect the war and whether the two sides will be pushed into negotiations. Analysts say both sides want to expand their territory before any negotiations take place.

Asked how the U.S. could push Russia to the negotiating table, Republican Rep. Tom Cole, who serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, told VOA: “I think you have to persuade them what’s in their best interest.”

Cole said he thinks the war has been a disaster for Russia, noting that the conflict forced Sweden and Finland to join NATO, the Western military alliance formed in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

He said talks in the House have yet to produce a definitive plan for the Russia-Ukraine war, but said: “I think there is only hope that President Trump can bring this conflict in Europe – the worst conflict since 1945 – to a quick finish.”

Trump has yet to outline how he will fulfill his campaign promise to end the war quickly. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in September, Trump said he “can come up with something that’s good for both sides.”

Asked whether Ukraine should hand over some of its own land to Russia to end the war, Trump said: “We’ll see what happens.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said on the campaign trail that proposals by the Trump camp to create a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine along the current battle lines “are not proposals for peace.”

“Instead, they are proposals for capitulation, which is dangerous and unacceptable,” she said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Ukraine and its NATO allies on Wednesday that Washington remains committed to putting Ukraine “in the strongest possible position” in the final months of President Joe Biden’s administration.

“President Biden is committed to making sure that every dollar we have at our disposal will be pushed out the door between now and January 20,” Blinken told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday.

Trump told reporters in September that his plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is “not a surrender.”

“What my strategy is, is to save lives,” he said.

Kateryna Lisunova contributed to this report.