16."So I believe that the incoming administration is in a position where, if the Ukrainians so desire and so choose, it can help to negotiate a good deal," Blinken said after commenting that thanks to the Biden administration and international partners, Russia has failed to subdue Ukraine."And President (Donald) Trump talks about having good, strong deals.  I think there’s an opportunity to get one."Trump, taking office on Jan. 20, has pledged to swiftly push for a peace settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war after taking office, prompting fears he might pressure Kyiv toward painful concessions.His team signaled that the new administration would seek to preserve Ukraine's independence, though Blinken's expected successor, Marco Rubio, said that both Kyiv and Moscow would have to make concessions to achieve a peace deal.Since invading Ukraine in 2014 and escalating its war of aggression in 2022, Russia has occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory, imposing repressive measures on the local population and prohibiting any expressions of Ukrainian identity.