Donald Trump announced that he will call for high issues with Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss the end of the “bloodbath” in Ukraine – while brutal war continues to make thousands of lives every week.
In an All-Caps dramatic article on his social platform Truth, the former American president revealed that the call focused on “the” bloodbathing “which kills, on average, more than 5,000 Russians and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and the trade”.
Trump, 78, added that he would follow Putin’s call with conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and “various NATO leaders”.
“I hope it will be a productive day, a cease-fire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should never have happened,” he wrote.
The surprise announcement comes just after Russian and Ukrainian officials met for their first talks in person in three years.
The meeting, which lasted less than two hours, did not give a cease-fire-but led the two parties to agree to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.
Sources indicate that Moscow negotiators have demanded that Ukraine withdraw the troops from all the territories of Russia claims like its own – including areas still fiercely disputed on the battlefield.
Trump says he will call Putin on Monday to stop the “Bloodbath” of Ukraine while more than 5,000 soldiers die each week – and promises to speak to the leaders of Zelensky and NATO
Trump, 78, said that he would follow Putin’s call with conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and “various NATO leaders”
In an All-Caps dramatic article on his social platform Truth, the former American president revealed that the call focused on “the” bloodbathing “which kills, on average, more than 5,000 Russians and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and the trade”.
A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that the list of Kremlin requests went far beyond the terms of a recent peace proposal written by the United States, which Washington floated after discussions on the channel with Moscow.
Among the conditions of Russia: a complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia; international recognition of these territories, as well as Crimea, as Russian; a commitment to Ukrainian neutrality; and an agreement that no foreign troop or weapon of mass destruction is stationed on Ukrainian soil.
Moscow also hopes that all parties abandon any claim for war repairs – a clear contrast with the American proposal, which has requested remuneration to pay to Ukraine.
The summit of peace in Istanbul was overshadowed by the absence of Vladimir Putin. Instead of participating personally, the Russian chief sent a delegation led by his former Minister of Culture.
The surprise announcement comes just after Russian and Ukrainian officials met for their first interviews in person in three years
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that Putin would only meet Zelensky if certain prerequisites were met-namely a ceasefire frame and the success of the exchange of Pow.
“Such a meeting, following the work of the delegations of the two parties, at the conclusion of certain agreements between these delegations, is possible. (We) consider this possible, “Peskov told journalists on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Trump doubled his confidence that he could end the war, pointing his personal relationship with Putin.
“I have a very good relationship with Putin. I think we are going to conclude an agreement ” said Trump in an interview with Fox News in Abu Dhabi. “We have to come together, and I think we are likely to plan it.
He added: “I am tired of having other people go to meet and everything else. No one uses a lever effect than me.
When asked if he would pressure Putin to conclude an agreement, Trump replied: “I would do it, if we are not going to conclude an agreement. We will see what is happening – it will be overwhelming for Russia.
Zelensky will appeal with Trump the next day after attending Pope Leo’s inaugural mass to the Vatican on Sunday – a return to the scene where he sat with Trump before the funeral of the former Pope Francis on April 26 (photo)
Zelensky’s call with Putin should take place the day after the inaugural mass of Pope Leo in the Vatican on May 18, confirmed the Holy See.
The ceremony, which will be held on Saint-Pierre square in Rome, marks the official start of the papacy of Pope Leo as a spiritual leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics of the world.
Trump now said if he was making the trip, but Zelensky will be joined by mass by an American delegation which includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice -President JD Vance – the latter, previously faced with Zelensky during an ardent oval office confrontation in February.
Despite the renewal of the thrust of diplomacy, violence continued tirelessly through Ukraine.
Only a few hours after the end of Istanbul’s talks, Zelensky accused Russia of the “deliberate murder of civilians” following a deadly drone strike which destroyed a minibus in Sumy, killing nine and wounding four.
The Russian forces also said that they had captured the village of Oleksandropil in the Donetsk region besieged on Saturday, while the bombings in Kherson made two dead and 13 injured civilians – including those aboard a truck delivering humanitarian aid.
In Kharkiv, two other people were killed and at least 12 injured following night air strikes near the Russian border.
Meanwhile, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, spoke with American Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone on Saturday, praising Washington’s “positive role” in the responsiveness of the dialogue and agreeing to keep the communication routes open.
