As Trump era begins, Ukrainians are exhausted by war

Internally displaced people (IDPs) from Vovchansk area in Kharkiv region check their documents as they come to a humanitarian aid hub, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, January 16, 2025. REUTERS/Alina Smutko

KHARKIV REGION/KYIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - As Donald Trump's second term as U.S. president dawns, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians see a hard road ahead in their war with Russia, and many have come to hope for a ceasefire without expelling Russian forces.

Trump's aides have conceded that a deal to end the war could take months or longer, although the president-elect boasted on the campaign trail that he would quickly reach a settlement to stop the fighting triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion.