The Kremlin said on Monday that the work was underway to prepare the second phone call between President Vladimir F. Putin and President Trump, but he refused to reveal what will be on the agenda, as US officials continued to offer some optimism about the US -backed ceasefire deal.
The very expected phone call, scheduled to be held on Tuesday, will be the first known conversation between the two leaders since Ukraine has agreed to support the ceasefire for a month backed by the United States, as long as Russia does the same. While Mr. Trump stated unambiguously his desire to mediate a kind of truce as soon as possible, Mr. Putin It seems that he is looking To take advantage of the moment to win more privileges.
Speaking on the first air force on Sunday evening, Mr. Trump said he expected to discuss regional issues with Mr. Putin as well as the fate of Ukrainian power stations. He also indicated that there were already discussions on “dividing some assets”.
Mr. Trump said: “We want to see whether we can finish.” “Perhaps we can. Maybe we cannot, but I think we have a very good chance.”
The Kremlin spokesman confirmed on Monday that a call is expected the next day. When asked if the Ukrainian power plants will be discussed, Dmitry S. spokesman said. Peskov, “We are never ahead of things” because in “Moscow’s opinion” the contents of the conversations between the two leaders cannot be discussed.
“This is why we will not do it,” he said.
Mr. Putin has not yet agreed to a 30 -day ceasefire, as US officials suggested after talks with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He said that the idea was “the correct idea and we definitely support it” – but it has set many conditions that may delay or hinder any truce.
“There are questions that we need to discuss, and I think we need to talk to them with our American colleagues and partners,” Tell a press conference on Thursday.
These statements came before Mr. Putin met with Steve Witkeov, who is the special envoy of Mr. Trump to the Middle East. But he participated in peace talks on Ukraine and other discussions about the restoration of relations between Moscow and Washington.
Mr. Witkeov CNN told Sunday that his meeting with the leader of Russia lasted three to four hours. He refused to share the details of their conversation, but he said that it was well walked and that the two sides “narrowed the differences between them.”
President Voludmir Zelinski from Ukraine Mr. Putin was accused of stopping While the Russian army is advancing on the battlefield to strengthen its hand in talks with the Trump administration about stopping hostilities.
Moscow’s batch to expel the Ukrainian forces From most of the Kursk region in Russia In recent days, Kyiv has deprived an important bargaining segment in any possible negotiations. .
As it advanced in your Corsak, Russia can show Mr. Trump as it carries momentum in the battlefield. battlefield maps Groups of both Russian and Western groups that analyze the fighting footage and satellite images show that Russian forces have already crossed to the Sumeri region of Ukraine of Corsak, while analysts say it may be an effort to vaccinate the remaining Ukrainian forces in Korsk or open a new front in the war.
Mr. Zelinski accused Russia of preparing for the installation of a larger attack in the Sumi region, which is home to hundreds of thousands of people. He said that these measures indicated that Mr. Putin was not interested in peace.
Since the American shooting suggestion, Mr. Zellinski said on Sunday night: “Russia has stolen a week-a week of war that Russia only wants.”
“We will do everything to intensify diplomacy.” We will do everything to make diplomacy effective. ” On social media.
The reference to Mr. Trump’s “energy stations” was the latest indication that it might enter into any such diplomacy about the ceasefire. While the president did not explain, his comments came on the same day that the Master mentioned a “nuclear reactor” in Interview with CBS News.
This appears to be a reference to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, which Russia has seized early on the war and still controls it.
The six -year interaction factory in Europe has not provided energy for the Ukraine network since its seizure. Its proximity to fighting on the front lines The interests have long ago About the risk of a radiological disaster.
Ukraine has again and again student Russian forces leave the power plant to reduce the risk of the nuclear accident and reduce the country’s lack of energy. But this possibility has grown increasingly as Russia strengthens its grip on the occupied territories in Ukraine.
Victoria Hibr, head of the Ukrainian Parliament’s sub -committee on energy security, said that she “was a little surprised that the factory’s issue appeared” in the statements of Mr. Trump and Mr. Witkeov.
“Ukraine wants again,” she said, but it is not clear why Russia will give up. The power plant is located in the southern Zaburisia region in Ukraine, which Russia has officially included despite the control of only part of its territory.
It is not clear what Russia could require in exchange for the return of the Zaporizhzhia factory to Ukrainian control.
Victoria Voingska, a former legislator and a chief member of the Energy Committee in the Ukrainian Parliament, indicated that Moscow has long sought to resume oil and gas exports to Western countries. These exports, a decisive source of the revenues of the Russian government, stopped, after the war began, as European countries moved to their fly from Russian energy supplies and imposed sanctions on Russian energy companies.
Tyler Pege The reports contributed.
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