US President Donald Trump offered to join potential interviews with Ukraine in Russia at the end of this week in Turkey and noted that “these conversations could be useful” to start a peace process. Trump spoke the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelsky announced that he would travel to Istanbul and wait there when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin.
What did Trump said?
Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday that he could join the interviews in Istanbul on Thursday in the region. His current schedule forced Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to visit this week.
“I have so many meetings, but I was thinking about really flying there. It’s a possibility, I think if I think it can happen, but we have to do it,” he said.
“Do not underestimate Thursday in Turkey,” Trump added and then.
Will Vladimir Putin join peaceful conversations?
The Kremlin was silent about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would participate, according to the AFP report.
Putin suggested interviews as Pontraffer to the 30 -day ceasefire presented by Kiev and his allies, but while Zelsky said he would participate “personally”, the Kremlin refused to say who Russia would send.
Negotiations that will take place on Thursday in Istanbul would be the first direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian officials from the first months of the invasion of Moscow in 2022.
“Russian attacks continued,” says Zelena
In his night video, the Ukrainian president noted that Russian attacks continued in the first line throughout the day, and Moscow still did not respond to his challenge to meet him with interviews in Turkey later in the week.
“Russian shelling and attacks continue,” Zelsky said. “Moscow remained silent all day to propose a direct meeting. Very strange silence.”
European countries threaten to increase Russian sanctions
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministers threatened to intensify sanctions against Russia at a crisis meeting in London on Monday, because the highest diplomat was accused by the Kremlin of “playing games” during peace negotiations with Ukraine.
In a joint statement after their meeting in the British capital, Foreign Ministers stated that they are afraid that Russia has “showed no serious intention to make progress”.
“They have to do it without delay,” said ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the EU.
(Tagstotranslate) Donald Trump
