Reuters reported on Thursday (December 12) that US President elect Donald Trump criticized Ukraine for using US provided missiles to attack deep within Russian territory in an interview with Time magazine. Reuters reported that Trump's remarks suggest that he may change US policy towards Ukraine.

(Screenshot source: Reuters)

Trump was interviewed by Time magazine on Thursday after being named the "2024 Person of the Year".

Trump said, "What is happening is too crazy. This is too crazy. I strongly oppose launching missiles hundreds of miles into Russian territory. Why are we doing this? We are just escalating this war and making the situation worse. This should not be allowed

Last month, US President Joe Biden lifted the ban on using US provided long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia's territory in Ukraine, marking Biden's latest attempt to strengthen Kiev's power in the fight to repel Russian invading forces in Ukraine.

The decision was made at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The White House stated that the main reason for Biden's change of mind is that Russia has deployed 15000 North Korean soldiers on the front lines.

Trump is critical of Washington's provision of billions of dollars in aid to Kiev and has stated that he hopes to end the nearly three-year war as soon as possible, but has been cautious about the details.

Trump told Time magazine that he has a "very good plan" to help everyone, but if he were to reveal this plan now, "it would almost become a worthless plan.

When asked if he would give up on Ukraine, Trump said, "I want to make a deal, the only way to make a deal is not to give up

He said that the intervention of the North Korean military is a "very complex factor".

Trump, who will take office on January 20th next year, met with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris last weekend. Trump's promise to quickly end the conflict has raised concerns in Kiev that this may largely depend on conditions in Moscow.

Sources told Reuters that Zelensky used the meeting to explain the necessity for Ukraine to ensure security when negotiating with Russia to end the war. He has been seeking to join NATO for a long time.

Trump told TIME that the number of deaths in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, especially last month, was "shocking".

He said that the number of deaths in the conflict is unsustainable, "I mean both sides. Resolving the conflict benefits both sides.

When asked if Kiev would cut US military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine if it did not agree to the peace agreement, Trump said, "I think I had a very good plan to help Ukraine, but when I started exposing it, it almost became a worthless plan

Reuters reported that the war is entering what some Russian and Western officials say may be the final and most dangerous stage, with Moscow's military advancing at the fastest pace since the first few weeks of the conflict.