Russian President, Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
U.S. President Donald Trump’s phone calls with leaders of Russia and Ukraine deepened expectations that progress might soon be made on ending those countries’ more than three-year war.
He said, though frustration at the slow pace of negotiations and the absence of any significant breakthrough kept hopes low.
“It is obvious that Russia is trying to buy time to continue the war and occupation,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday on Telegram.
“We are working with partners to put pressure on the Russians to behave differently,” he added.
He said this in an apparent reference to further international sanctions on Russia.
Ukraine has offered a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire, which Moscow has effectively rejected by imposing far-reaching conditions, and Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin but the Russian leader spurned that offer.
Trump said his personal intervention was needed to push peace efforts forward, and on Monday he held separate talks over the phone with Zelenskyy and Putin.
Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations, Trump announced, though there was no detail on exactly when or where such talks might take place and who might attend them. (AP/NAN)
