Former US president Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin “very shortly” to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. He stated that the location of the meeting would be announced soon.
“We’re going to be announcing later, and we’re going to have a meeting with Russia,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House.
These comments contrast with the grim reality on the ground in Ukraine, where soldiers express little optimism about a diplomatic resolution. They also followed Mr. Trump’s previously stated deadlines for the Kremlin to pursue peace in Ukraine.
Having previously expressed frustration with Putin’s continued military actions, Mr. Trump had issued an ultimatum nearly two weeks ago to impose additional sanctions on Russia. He also threatened secondary sanctions targeting countries that purchase Russian oil if progress toward a settlement wasn’t made.
Despite these efforts, Mr. Trump’s attempts to pressure Mr. Putin into ending the conflict have yet to yield tangible results.
Russia’s military continues its slow but steady advance into Ukraine, incurring significant casualties and material losses while relentlessly bombarding Ukrainian cities.
Russia and Ukraine maintain vastly different stances on potential peace terms.
Ukrainian forces are engaged in intense fighting along the extensive 620-mile front line, which stretches from the northeast to the southeast of Ukraine.
The Pokrovsk area within the eastern Donetsk region is currently experiencing the heaviest fighting as Russia attempts to advance into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region.
Ukraine is facing significant shortages in manpower.
Heavy fighting is also occurring in Ukraine’s northern Sumy border region, with Ukrainian forces actively engaging Russian soldiers to prevent reinforcements from being deployed to Donetsk.
In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk, a Ukrainian commander voiced his belief that Moscow has no genuine interest in pursuing peace.
“It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” said Buda, a drone unit commander in the Spartan Brigade, using only his call sign as per Ukrainian military regulations.
“I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them,” he reiterated.
In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a howitzer commander using the call sign Warsaw emphasized that troops are determined to repel the Russian invasion.
“We are on our land, we have no way out,” he stated. “So we stand our ground, we have no choice.”
The Kremlin reported that Mr. Putin held a phone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which he briefed Mr. Xi on the outcomes of his recent meeting with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff earlier in the week.
According to Kremlin officials, Mr. Xi “expressed support for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on a long-term basis.”
Mr. Putin is scheduled to visit China next month. The US alleges that China, along with North Korea and Iran, has been providing military support for Russia’s war efforts.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on X that he also had a phone call with Mr. Putin to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday imposing an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil. The American president claims that these purchases are helping to finance Russia’s war.
The Kremlin indicated that Mr. Putin’s calls followed previous phone conversations with the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
