U.S. President-elect Donald Trump referred to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as 'carnage' on Monday, drawing attention to the devastation in cities and the grim images of casualties.

He stressed the importance of ending the hostilities, showing some optimism about the progress being made towards a ceasefire.

During his first press conference after his election victory in November, Trump discussed the seriousness of the situation, noting the unprecedented level of violence and loss of life.

'People are being killed at levels that nobody’s ever seen,' he commented, referring to the once-flat landscapes of Ukraine now scarred by conflict.

Trump indicated that the actual death toll is likely higher than what is reported by Kyiv and Moscow.

He promised that his administration would engage with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue a resolution.

Trump's transition team has been devising a strategy to facilitate negotiations between the two nations, acknowledging that compromises may be necessary.

Although Trump highlighted Kyiv's aspirations for restoring territorial integrity, he remarked on the widespread destruction of many Ukrainian cities, pointing to the difficult realities both parties face.

In a disputed statement, Trump claimed that 'four years ago we had no wars,' overlooking Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent involvement in Eastern Ukraine during his presidency.

Despite this oversight, he was the first U.S. president to supply Ukraine with weaponry.

At the press conference, Trump also mentioned his previous decision to launch missiles at Syria.

Significantly, while discussing the Ukraine situation, Trump did not directly condemn Russia's invasion and was vague about whether he had communicated with Putin.

Nevertheless, he reported that President Zelenskyy expressed a desire for peace.

'We’d like to get them to stop in Ukraine and Ukraine to stop also,' Trump said, highlighting the shared goal of ending the conflict.