By Trevor Hunnicutt
US President Donald Trump mentioned he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday to a different summit to debate ending the warfare in Ukraine, someday earlier than the U.S. president was as a result of converse with Ukrainian chief Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Trump mentioned he and Putin would quickly meet in Budapest after a greater than two-hour-long telephone name he described as productive.
The Kremlin didn’t instantly remark.
The shock growth got here as Zelenskiy was headed to the White Home on Friday to push for extra navy assist, together with potential long-range offensive missiles.
But the optimistic tone following the U.S.-Russia name appeared to depart in query the potential of such assist within the close to time period.
Power Techniques Focused
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their warfare with large assaults on power infrastructure whereas NATO struggles to reply to a spate of Russian air incursions.
The Trump-Putin assembly will comply with lower-level talks between Moscow and Washington subsequent week, Trump mentioned. No date was offered for the leaders’ assembly.
In a submit on Reality Social, Trump mentioned he would temporary Zelenskiy on the Russia talks within the Oval Workplace tomorrow.
“I imagine nice progress was made with today’s phone dialog,” he added.
Ukraine Desires To Increase Assault Vary
Ukraine has been in search of US Tomahawk long-range missiles, which might put Moscow and different main Russian cities inside vary of missile fireplace from Ukraine.
Trump, a Republican who has vowed to finish the warfare that Russia began with its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, had earlier than Thursday expressed rising frustration with Putin over ongoing assaults.
Trump has mentioned he might provide the long-range weapons to Ukraine if Putin fails to return to the negotiating desk.
In its newest barrage, Russia launched greater than 300 drones and 37 missiles to focus on infrastructure throughout Ukraine in in a single day assaults on Thursday, Zelenskiy mentioned. Kyiv has ramped up its personal assaults on Russian targets, together with an oil refinery within the Saratov area on Thursday.
Russia has been hitting Ukraine’s power and energy services for consecutive winters because the warfare drags into its fourth 12 months.
Within the newest warnings to Russia, Trump mentioned on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to cease shopping for oil from Russia, and that the administration would push China to do the identical.
India has not confirmed any such dedication, although Reuters reported some Indian refiners are getting ready to chop Russian oil imports, with expectations of a gradual discount, three sources aware of the matter instructed Reuters.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned on Wednesday that Washington would “impose prices on Russia for its continued aggression” until the warfare ends.
