Moscow
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that both Moscow and Kiev are interested in resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be open to peace talks, particularly following a recent decline in oil prices.
“Russia is experiencing a drop in oil prices, and we are in a favorable position to settle. They want to settle, and Ukraine wants to settle,” Trump remarked to reporters during a press briefing in the Oval Office on Monday.
The price of oil, critical to the Russian economy, has decreased by approximately $15 since the start of the year. According to sources, OPEC+ intends to increase oil production.
“We’ve come a long way, and it could happen. Hopefully, it will,” Trump added.
In February 2022, Putin ordered a significant military deployment to Ukraine, marking the largest ground conflict in Europe since World War II and the most serious confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
With hundreds of thousands of soldiers reported killed or injured, Trump has expressed a desire to end what he termed the “bloodbath,” which he characterized as a proxy war involving the U.S. and Russia.
Trump mentioned that Putin proposed a three-day ceasefire to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union and its allies’ victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.
“Putin has just announced a three-day ceasefire. It may not seem significant, but given the circumstances, it is important,” Trump commented. “This is a war that must never happen again.”
Furthermore, Trump claimed the actual number of fatalities in the conflict is far greater than reports from most media outlets suggest. However, neither side has published updated casualty figures.
The Kremlin commented on the potential for a meeting between Trump and Putin in Saudi Arabia, suggesting that such a meeting is necessary. However, Putin indicated there are no plans for a trip to the Middle East in mid-May, while Trump confirmed his intention to visit Saudi Arabia that month.
During the press conference, a reporter inquired if Trump would initiate an investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline attack in 2022.
A sudden pressure drop in the Baltic pipeline was detected on September 26, 2022, leading to speculation of an explosion that jeopardized a billion-dollar project transporting Russian gas to Germany.
“They said Russia did it—well, yes. I think many people know who was responsible,” Trump replied.
Reports from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal indicate that Ukraine has consistently denied any involvement in the attack.
Russia has alleged that Western nations, including the U.S. and the UK, played a role in the attacks, though it has presented no evidence to back up that assertion.
