'Assad is gone, Russia...': Trump blames Putin for Syria collapse
What's the story
United States President-elect Donald Trump has weighed in on the recent exit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from Syria.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said that President Bashar al-Assad's exit was due to Russia's waning interest in Syria.
He implied that this shift in focus was due to Russia's involvement in Ukraine, where he claimed nearly 600,000 Russian soldiers were wounded or dead.
Geopolitical implications
Trump highlights weakened state of Russia and Iran
Trump also emphasized how both Russia and Iran are currently weak. He blamed the Ukraine war and Russia's economic woes, as well as Israel's military victories over Iran.
The former president demanded an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and urged negotiations to start, warning that "too many lives are being so needlessly wasted" and expressing concern about potential escalation.
Call to action
Trump urges Putin to act, expresses confidence in Zelenskyy
Trump also referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's readiness to negotiate peace and expressed faith in Russian President Vladimir Putin's ability to take decisive action at this time.
He said, "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!"
In Syria, Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have seized Damascus after taking control of Homs, delivering a major blow to Assad's 24-year rule.