Zelensky says a Trump presidency could have a 'strong impact' on the war in Ukraine as he admits the conflict could continue until 2025 but is 'confident that US and European financial support will continue'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that if Donald Trump were to win the 2024 presidential election, it could have a significant impact on the outcome of Russia's 22-month invasion.

He said on Tuesday: “If the policy of the next president, whoever it is, is different towards Ukraine, cooler or more frugal, I think these signals will have a very strong impact on the course of the war.”

He added that Trump would “certainly pursue a different policy” than Biden, but previously said he was confident the US and Europe will continue to support Ukraine's war efforts.

Asked whether the conflict with Russia could end in the new year, the Ukrainian president said: “No one has the answer,” not even top military commanders.

“We have thoughts and ideas, and ideas can be far from reality,” the stoic wartime leader said in his speech at the year-end press conference.

Ukrainian tank crews take part in an exercise not far from the front line towards Bakhmut, Donetsk region, on December 15, 2023

Zelensky held talks with President Joe Biden in Washington last week

When Zelensky was challenged about the continuation of Western military support, which one reporter noted is “fading,” he responded by insisting that agreements made with the US “will be honored.”

He added triumphantly that Vladimir Putin's forces had “failed to achieve any results” in 2023, while the Ukrainian people and army had retained their strength.

Russia has suffered heavy losses and has had to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new conscripts since the start of the war.

As the war enters its third year, Ukraine must also mobilize more recruits, with Zelensky warning today that as many as 450,000 more people could be called up to fight.

He added that this was a “very significant amount” and that there should be more discussions about the plans military officials are working on.

In addition to the struggle for manpower, Zelensky admitted that while there are challenges in securing continued aid amid a lack of shells and artillery systems, he believes the “taps are opening.”

“I am confident that the US will not abandon us and that what we agreed to in the US will be fulfilled,” he said.

It is currently unclear how Trump would handle the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He previously said he would be able to broker an agreement between the two nations but has not provided any support for the negotiations, despite Zelensky welcoming the support.

Trump also tried to force Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, his main political rival at the time, as well as his son Hunter Biden and the cybersecurity company CloudStrike that Hunter was running in Ukraine at the time.

Regarding the EU's support, Zelensky added that although the stakes were “very high”, he is confident that Ukraine will soon receive 50 billion euros.

He accepted that while there are “risks” in continued support from the West, he does not think Ukraine will be “betrayed.”

It comes after a series of meetings he held in the US last week, with both President Biden and Republican senators – many of whom viewed calls for more money and supplies with far less enthusiasm than their Democratic counterparts.

Despite a frosty reception from some, Zelensky said today that he is “glad that we heard each other” during his trip to Washington, adding that he believes support will come “very soon.”

But in a major blow to Kiev's war efforts on Friday, Hungary, whose President Viktor Orban is among the most closely aligned of European leaders with the Kremlin, blocked an EU attempt to provide additional aid to Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, remains undaunted in his public goals, telling top military officials in Moscow today that he would press ahead with his “special military operation.”

This despite declassified US intelligence reports saying Russia has suffered as many as 315,000 deaths or injuries since the invasion began less than two years ago, out of a pre-invasion force of 360,000.