US President Donald Trump has praised talks held with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the US-proposed ceasefire deal in Ukraine as “good and productive”.
This comes after Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff met in Moscow on Thursday night, throughout which they exchanged info and shared the US’s “cautious optimism” over a peace course of, the Kremlin confirmed.
Trump’s Reality Social submit on Friday stated the talks supplied “an excellent likelihood that this horrible, bloody struggle can lastly come to an finish”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, nonetheless, maintained that Putin’s response to date reveals Russia needs to proceed the struggle and doesn’t need a ceasefire.
On Thursday, Putin had stated the concept of a ceasefire was “proper and we help it… however there are nuances” and he set out a variety of powerful situations for peace, a response branded “manipulative” by Zelensky.
Ukraine’s chief continued his criticism on Friday in a collection of posts on X, writing: “Putin can’t exit this struggle as a result of that would depart him with nothing.
“That’s the reason he’s now doing all the pieces he can to sabotage diplomacy by setting extraordinarily tough and unacceptable situations proper from the beginning even earlier than a ceasefire.”
He stated Putin would “drag” everybody into “limitless discussions… losing days, weeks, and months on meaningless talks whereas his weapons proceed to kill individuals”.
“Each situation Putin places ahead is simply an try to dam any diplomacy. That is how Russia works. And we warned about this.”
Earlier this week, Ukraine accepted the US-proposed ceasefire deal, which Russia is but to comply with.
“I strongly urge everybody who can affect Russia, particularly the USA, to take sturdy steps that may assist,” Zelensky continued in his social media posts on Friday, including Putin wouldn’t cease the struggle on his personal.
“Putin is mendacity about the true scenario on the battlefield… the casualties” and “the true state of his economic system”, he stated, explaining that Putin was “doing all the pieces potential to make sure that diplomacy fails”.
However the White Home believes the 2 sides have “by no means been this near peace”.
Speaking to reporters, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained that the talks between Putin and Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday have been “productive”.
She added Trump has been “placing strain on Putin and the Russians to do the best factor”.
Trump’s social media submit additionally “strongly requested” Putin ought to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops, whom he described as surrounded by Russian forces, including it could be a “horrible bloodbath” not seen since World Battle Two.
His feedback got here after Putin stated on Thursday that Ukrainian troops in Kursk had been “remoted” and have been making an attempt to depart, as Russia ramps up efforts to reclaim the area invaded by Ukraine final 12 months.
However on Friday, Ukraine’s armed forces normal employees denied the encirclement of its troops, calling it “false and fabricated”.
In an announcement, it stated operations have been persevering with, with Ukrainian troops having withdrawn and “efficiently regrouped” to higher defensive positions.
“There isn’t a menace of encirclement of our items,” it stated.
In response to Trump’s request, Putin stated Ukrainian troopers in Kursk could be handled with “dignity in step with the norms of worldwide regulation and the legal guidelines of the Russian Federation” in the event that they gave up arms and surrendered.
In the meantime, G7 members have been assembly in Quebec, the place host Canadian International Minister Mélanie Joly stated all of the members agreed with the US proposal of a ceasefire that’s supported by Ukrainians.
“And we at the moment are learning and Russian reactions, so finally the ball is now in Russia’s courtroom in terms of Ukraine.”
UK International Secretary David Lammy, who was additionally on the assembly, stated the members have been united in calling for a ceasefire with “no situations”.
Following the assembly, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the US wouldn’t make overseas coverage choices based mostly on what leaders stated on social media or at a information convention, and harassed the “solely option to finish this struggle is thru a strategy of negotiations”.
