US had productive talks with Putin over Ukraine war

 

US had productive talks with Putin over Ukraine war, Trump says

Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump has expressed his approval of the discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the US-suggested ceasefire agreement in Ukraine, calling them "good and productive."

This statement follows a meeting between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday evening, after which the Kremlin indicated it shared the US's "cautious optimism" about the peace process.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump remarked that the talks offered "a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end."

On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Putin of attempting to prolong negotiations to continue the conflict, while Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that the Russian president should not be allowed to "play games" with ceasefire discussions.

Earlier this week, Ukraine agreed to the ceasefire proposal put forth by the US, but Russia has yet to give its approval.

On Thursday, Putin acknowledged that the concept of a ceasefire was "correct and we support it... but there are nuances," outlining several stringent conditions for peace. Zelensky labeled this response as "manipulative."

Continuing his critique on Friday through a series of posts on X, Ukraine's leader stated, "Putin cannot withdraw from this war because that would leave him with nothing."

He added that Putin is actively trying to undermine diplomatic efforts by imposing extremely challenging and unacceptable conditions even before a ceasefire is in place.

Zelensky expressed concern that Putin would "drag" everyone into "endless discussions... wasting days, weeks, and months on futile talks while his weapons continue to claim lives."

He emphasized that every condition proposed by Putin is merely a tactic to obstruct any diplomatic progress, stating, "This is how Russia operates. We warned about this."

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir remarked that the Kremlin's "complete disregard" for Trump's ceasefire proposal showed that Putin was "not serious about peace."

He stated, "If Russia finally comes to the negotiating table, we must be prepared to oversee a ceasefire to ensure it leads to a genuine and lasting peace."

"If they refuse, we need to exert every effort to increase economic pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end."

On Saturday, Sir Keir will lead a video conference with up to 25 leaders to discuss the peacekeeping mission proposed during a summit in London earlier this month.

This "coalition of the willing," as he referred to it, aims to deter any future Russian aggression if the US-proposed ceasefire is implemented.

In his social media updates on Friday, Zelensky strongly urged "everyone who can influence Russia, particularly the United States, to take decisive actions that can help," as he believes Putin will not end the war on his own.

Putin is misrepresenting the actual conditions on the battlefield, particularly regarding casualties and the true state of his economy, he stated, adding that Putin is "doing everything he can to sabotage diplomacy."

However, the White House believes that both parties have "never been closer to achieving peace."

In a conversation with reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the discussions between Putin and Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday were "productive."

She noted that Trump has been "exerting pressure on Putin and the Russians to act appropriately."

In a recent social media post, Trump also "strongly urged" Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, whom he described as being surrounded by Russian troops, warning that it would lead to a "horrible massacre" reminiscent of World War Two.

These remarks followed Putin's statement on Thursday, claiming that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were "isolated" and attempting to escape, as Russia intensifies its efforts to reclaim the territory invaded by Ukraine last year.

However, on Friday, Ukraine's armed forces general staff refuted the claim of their troops being encircled, labeling it as "false and fabricated."

In their statement, they confirmed that operations were ongoing, with Ukrainian forces having withdrawn and "successfully regrouped" to stronger defensive positions.

"There is no risk of encirclement for our units," they asserted.

In response to Trump's appeal, Putin stated that Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk would be treated with "dignity according to international law and the laws of the Russian Federation" if they surrendered.

Meanwhile, G7 leaders have convened in Quebec, where Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced that all members supported the US proposal for a ceasefire backed by Ukrainians.

"And we are currently assessing Russian responses, so the next move is now up to Russia regarding Ukraine."

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who attended the meeting, expressed that the members were united in their call for an unconditional ceasefire

After the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States would not base its foreign policy on comments made by leaders on social media or during press conferences. He emphasized that the only way to resolve the conflict is through negotiations.