WASHINGTON – President Trump is scheduled to hold talks with the Russian president on Tuesday Vladimir Putin He is trying to get support from the US ceasefire proposal, which he hopes to be able to create a path to the end. Russia's devastating war against Ukraine.
At the expense of his longtime American allies who want Putin to pay the price for the invasion, this engagement is just the latest turn to dramatically change US-Russia relations as Trump quickly ended his conflict as his top priority.
“It's a bad situation in Russia and a bad situation in Ukraine,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “It's not good what's going on in Ukraine, but we'll see if we can put peace deals, ceasefires, peace into working, and we think we can do that.”
Prepare for Trump Putin ColeWhite House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Last week I met with Putin in Moscow and discussed his proposal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had persuaded senior Ukrainian officials during talks in Saudi Arabia I agree with the ceasefire framework.
The US president said Washington and Moscow are already beginning to discuss “splitting certain assets” between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict.
Promising to end the war quickly during his campaign, Trump boasted of his relationship with Putin. criticised Ukraine for Russia's unprovoked invasionAll accusing Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky of unnecessarily prolonging Europe's biggest land war since World War II.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added on Tuesday to reporters that Trump and Putin will discuss the war in Ukraine, but there will also be “many questions” about normalizing relations between the US and Russia. The call will take place between 1pm and 3pm (9am to 11am), Peskov said.
Trump says control of the land and power plants will be part of the conversation that comes on Russia's anniversary Annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula 11 years ago. That bold land by Russia set the stage for Moscow to invade its neighbours in 2022.
Witkov and White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt suggested that US and Russian officials discussed the fate of Europe's largest Zaporisia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
Since Moscow, the factory has been caught up in crossfire In 2022, the troops were sent to Ukraine. The facility was seized shortly afterwards. The UN International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly issued warnings about it, promoting fear of a potential nuclear catastrophe.
Plants are important assets and produce them Almost a quarter of Ukraine's electricity The year before the war.
“We can say we're on the 10-yard line of peace,” Levitt said. “And we've never come closer to a peace agreement than in this moment, and the President, you know, is determined to accomplish one thing.”
But Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Democracy Defense Foundation's Center for Military and Political Powers, questioned whether Putin is ready to end the war or whether Trump will refrain from further concessions that could make him feel uneasy.
rear The tragic White House meeting on February 28th Along with Zelensky, Trump temporarily slashed out military intelligence sharing and aid to Ukraine. It was restored last week after Ukrainians signed up for the Trump administration's 30-day ceasefire proposal.
“The US has consistently provided preemptive concessions in some way that undermines the negotiation position between the US and Ukraine,” Bowman said. “I think there's a real risk here that the regime's approach is simmering in sticks for Ukraine and Putin's carrots.”
His Zelensky Monday Night Video Address He reveals that Putin doubts he is ready for peace.
“Now, almost a week later, it's clear to everyone in the world, even to those who have refused to admit the truth for the past three years.
With his deal Zelensky and PutinTrump has frequently focused on who has leverage. Putin has a “card” and Zelensky isn't, Trump repeatedly said.
Trump, who has long praised Putin, has revealed he wants to see US-Russia relations return to a more normal foothold.
The president complained at a recent controversial meeting with Zelensky, “Putin went through a lot of hell with me.” Investigating Russian interference In the 2016 presidential election, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Trump again on Monday emphasized his view that Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position. He said Russian troops “envelope” Ukrainian troops “envelope” in Russia's Kursk region.
Ukrainian Army It surprised Russia last August By attacking across borders and controlling an estimated 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of land. However, the Ukrainian army was retreating and the momentum had accumulated, which left its valuable negotiation tips. Ceasefire with Russia.
Zelensky admits that the Ukrainians are behind him, but denied claims that the Russians surrounded his army in Kursk.
Trump suggested that Russia took unspecified actions that prevented the massacre of Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
“They are surrounded by Russian soldiers. If it wasn't for me, I don't think they're here anymore,” Trump said.
Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials facing lawsuits from the Associated Press under the First and Fifth Amendments. The AP says the three are punishing news outlets for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP has not followed an executive order to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.
