President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that American negotiators were heading to Russia to negotiate a possible ceasefire following a 30-day truce agreement by Ukraine. Addressing the White House in a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump underlined the importance of stopping the war based on the destruction and loss of lives brought by Russia’s invasion.
People are going to Russia as we speak. And hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” Trump said in a statement to reporters, as relayed by AFP. His statement followed over eight hours of talks between US and Ukrainian diplomats in Saudi Arabia.
When questioned on what possible US actions could be taken to put pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire, Trump indicated that he hoped those actions would not be required. He also faulted past administrations, claiming to have had the strongest position on Russia.
They never took anything from me,” Trump stated, referencing previous disputes between Russia. “They took from Obama and Bush, and they took from sleepy Joe Biden. With Biden, they wanted to take the whole country, but I think I’ve stopped that, but we’ll see.
But he warned that the US had economic instruments at its command that could prove “catastrophic” for Russia, although he underlined his hope for diplomacy over economic reprisal.
The Kremlin meanwhile declared that it was waiting for additional information from Washington on the mooted ceasefire, with top Russian officials insisting that any agreement should recognize Russia’s territorial gains and security interests.
Trump acknowledged that negotiations involved complex territorial issues, hinting at discussions over potential troop withdrawals. “We know the areas of land we’re talking about, whether it’s pull back or not pull back,” he said.
The success of the ceasefire negotiations now hinges on Moscow’s response to Washington’s overtures.
