ReutersDonald Trump says he can be chatting with Russian President Vladimir Putin by cellphone on Monday about ending the conflict in Ukraine, saying the decision can be about “stopping the ‘massacre'”.
In a publish on Reality Social, the US president mentioned the decision would happen at 10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT) and he would then converse to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the leaders of some Nato nations.
Russia and Ukraine have been unable to achieve any breakthrough after they held their first face-to-face talks in three years in Istanbul on Friday, though a prisoner swap was agreed.
Trump had provided to attend the talks in Turkey if Putin would even be there, however the Russian president declined to go.
Trump’s feedback come after he steered progress on ending the conflict would solely occur if he and Putin held face-to-face talks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian information businesses that preparations have been beneath method for a name between Putin and Trump on Monday. The 2 leaders have held a cellphone name earlier than on the subject.
“The dialog is within the works,” Peskov instructed Tass information company.
Trump had mentioned on Reality Social: “Hopefully it will likely be a productive day, a ceasefire will happen, and this very violent conflict, a conflict that ought to have by no means occurred, will finish.”
European leaders have been calling for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire within the battle.
The US and Russian leaders are anticipated to debate a ceasefire, in addition to the attainable summit between themselves.
Moscow has moved slower than Trump would really like, nevertheless it welcomed the American efforts at mediation, in a name on Saturday between the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
EPARussia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Following the talks in Istanbul, Ukraine additionally reiterated its name for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
In response to a Ukrainian official, the Kremlin had made “new and unacceptable calls for together with insisting Kyiv withdraw its troops from giant components of its personal territory”, he mentioned, in alternate for a ceasefire.
The top of the Russian delegation, Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky, mentioned they have been happy with the talks and able to proceed contact.
Hours later, a Russian drone hit a passenger bus in the Sumy region, killing 9 individuals – prompting Zelensky to demand stiffer sanctions on Moscow.
He mentioned the assault on the bus was “a deliberate killing of civilians”. Russia has not commented, however state media reported that forces had hit a “navy staging space” in Sumy province.
