A White House official said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump could meet personally with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as possible next week and is seeking to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The official warned against not schedule a meeting and no place has been determined. The official was not allowed to speak publicly and spoke to the Associated Press, provided that his identity was not disclosed to discuss internal plans.
The White House said that Trump was also open to hold a meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President Folodimir Zelinsky.
The meeting between Putin and Trump will be the first since Trump’s return to office this year. This will be a three -year -old war in war, although there is no promise such a meeting that will lead to the end of the fighting because Russia and Ukraine remain far from their demands.
Trump, who appeared in front of the correspondents later at the White House, did not answer questions about a possible site for the meeting, but when asked about a summit with Putin and Zellinski, he said, “There is a very good possibility that they” will meet. “
He refused to predict the extent of his proximity to reaching an agreement to end the fighting, saying: “I was disappointed before with this.”
Before returning to the Oval Office, Trump claimed that he could end the conflict in Ukraine Only 24 hours. More than six months after his new presidential term, the war continues.
“There are still many obstacles”
“Many should happen before this happens,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was asked in an interview with Fox Business about Trump Putin’s potential meeting.
Rubio said the United States is holding talks with its European and Ukrainian allies in the next few days. He said that Trump’s meeting directly with Russia and Ukraine leaders will help closing an agreement, but he said: “We must approach enough of this point so that the meeting of such a matter is fruitful and deserves to be done.”
“Today it was a good day, but we have a lot of work at the forefront,” he said. “There are still many obstacles that must be overcome.”
A possible meeting news with Putin, which was informed by the New York Times for the first time, came hours after Trump’s Steve Witkev’s special envoy met Putin in Moscow.
Trump had previously posted on Truth Social that Witkoff “held a very fruitful meeting” with Putin “great progress”.
“Only with great pressure” is that the United States and Russia reach a meaningful ceasefire, “says Marcus Colga, an older colleague at the McDonald Lorieer Institute.”
Zelinski was ready to meet face to face with Putin to end the conflict, but Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea.
Trump met Zelinski several times this year, including a February meeting is controversial In Washington. Although he has not yet met Putin this year, Trump met him five times during his first term.
Trump said earlier on Wednesday that he had updated America’s allies in Europe and that they would work to end the war “in the coming days and weeks.”
“The Russians have expressed their desire” in a Trump interview. The Kremlin has not yet commented on any possible meetings with Trump.
Witkoff met Putin a few days before the final date of the White House of Russia to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine or may face severe economic sanctions that could hit countries that buy oil.
The Kremlin said that the meeting between Putin and Wittouf lasted about three hours.
Putin Foreign Affairs Adviser Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Ukicov were a “useful and constructive conversation” focused on the Ukrainian crisis, and in a sign of improving relations between Washington and Moscow, “potential development of strategic cooperation” between the United States and Russia.
Earlier on Wednesday, the White House official himself said that the United States is still expected to impose secondary sanctions on Russia on Friday, after a 10 -day deadline imposed by Trump. The White House has not yet issued details about the sanctions.
Washington threatened “severe definitions” and other economic sanctions if the killing did not stop.
Provisions of customs tariffs
Trump also threatened definitions on countries that buy Russian oil, which may significantly increase import taxes on China and India. He said on Tuesday that he did not publicly adhere to any specific tariff rate, and indicated that his decision may depend on the results of the meeting with Putin.
Trump has expressed his increasing frustration with Putin due to the escalating strikes of Russia on the civilian regions of Ukraine, which aims to erode the morale and the general appetite for war. Intensive attacks occurred even with Trump urged the Russian leader in recent months to decline.
Zelinski said on Wednesday evening that he and Trump spoke over the phone after he met and was destroying with Putin. “European leaders also participated in the conversation,” he said, and “We discussed what was said in Moscow.”
“It seems that Russia is now tending to agree to the ceasefire,” Zellinski said, adding that pressure on Moscow is “working” without a situation.
Zelenskyy stressed that it is important to ensure that Russia does not deceive us or the United States “when it comes to” details “of a possible agreement. Kiev suggests that Ukraine and its allies soon” spoke to define our position, our common position, and our common vision. “
The Russian forces said overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, and the Russian forces hit an entertainment center in the southern Zaburisia region of Ukraine, killing two people and wounding 12, including two children, the regional governor of Ivan Fedorov on Wednesday.
Russian forces released at least four strikes on the area and initially attacked with strong slide bombs.
“There is no military meaning in this strike. Only the cruelty of intimidation,” Zelinski said in a post on a telegram.
Zelinski said that Russia hit the Ukrainian energy network and facilities to heat and cook cooking gas, while Ukraine is preparing for the winter. Western analysts and Ukrainian officials say Putin stops time and avoids serious negotiations while Russian forces are pressuring to seize more Ukrainian lands.
The Russian attack, which started in the spring, is expected to continue during the fall, is progressing faster than last year, but it only achieves slow and costly gains and was unable to take any major cities.
Analysts say that the situation on the confrontation line is very important for the Ukrainian forces, but the defenses are not about to collapse.
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