Russia-Ukrainklieg: Trump looks at the participation in peace talks in Turkey

Cnn
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US President Donald Trump said that he was open to the potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey on Thursday, since the United States increased the pressure on Moscow and Kyiv to put an end to the three-year conflict.

Trump visits the Gulf this week and has held in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and in the Qatar for his first trip abroad since the beginning of his second term. He said he could move to Turkey, “if I thought it would be helpful.”

“I think you may have a good result from the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “I don't know where I will be on Thursday, I have so many meetings, but I thought about actually flying there. There is a way if I think things can happen.”

Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would “appreciate” Trump's presence and support Trump's call for direct conversations between himself and the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting, and we want him to find the opportunity to be in Turkey,” said Zelensky in his evening address.

The Ukrainian President said on Sunday that he was ready to meet Putin after the Russian president proposed “direct talks” in Turkey-etwas, which has not been seen in the full invasion of Moscow in 2022 since the early weeks. Trump asked the Ukrainian President to “immediately” agree to Putin's offer and to undermine the efforts to suppress Moscow for an expression.

Moscow has not yet confirmed whether Putin or another Russian civil servant will take part in the talks or not.

Last weekend, the Ukraine of the great European allies had given Russia an ultimatum: approval of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine or with “massive” new sanctions. They insisted that there could be no new conversations before a ceasefire.

Trump had supported the initiative, said Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump used to call a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine this week without giving a deadline. “If the ceasefire is not respected, the USA and its partners will impose further sanctions,” he warned.

For months, the Ukraine and its allies have tried to convince the Trump administration that Putin is in bad belief, and have said that Russia's agreement on having a ceasefire could serve as a test to serve whether it is serious to achieve peace that the US President has long demanded.

When Trump asked Zelensky to meet Putin, he asked Russia to agree to a ceasefire and marked a dramatic change in the approach.

On Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin was serious about finding peace through talks, but the spokesman said that according to Reuters News Agency, he could no longer say.

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about Putin's proposed discussions with Ukraine, but according to Reuters, a short Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was no indication of whether Putin would take part.

Zelensky said on Monday that Moscow had “still” in relation to Putin's proposal.

“Ukraine always supports diplomacy. I am ready to be in Turkey. Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear answer from Russia to numerous suggestions for an armistice,” said Zelensky in his evening address.

Zelensky said he spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who “expressed full willingness to organize the meeting”. The Kremlin said Putin spoke to Erdogan on Sunday, who “fully supported” Putin's proposal for peace talks and offered Istanbul as an event location.

“With the latest contacts, a new window of the opportunities has opened. We hope that this opportunity will not be wasted,” Erdogan said on Monday after his call to Zelensky.

The Trump government was The efforts to convey a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine are increasingly frustrated.

Last month, US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said that the United States “would have to continue” if there was no progress in Ukraine.