US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that a complete ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine could be achieved “very soon.”
“I believe we’re going to pretty soon have a full ceasefire and then we’re going to have a contract, and the contract’s being negotiated, the contract in terms of dividing up the lands, etc., etc. It’s being negotiated as we speak,” Trump stated during a White House press briefing.
According to Trump, the “outline” of a future deal to resolve the war has already taken shape. He emphasized that he has had “very good discussions” with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Diplomatic efforts continue to advance, with talks scheduled for Monday in Saudi Arabia between American, Ukrainian, and Russian representatives. Trump previously mentioned plans to discuss “land and power plants” with Putin on 18 March.
According to a report from Kommersant, a Russian media outlet, during a closed session of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Putin reportedly stated that the goal of the negotiations is to secure Russia’s territorial gains. Sources close to the discussions suggested that Putin emphasized the recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Russian-controlled parts of Luhansk and Donetsk (the so-called LNR and DNR), as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as part of Russia. If these conditions are met, Moscow “will not pursue claims to Odesa or other territories currently under Ukrainian control.”
However, a comprehensive ceasefire has not been established despite these discussions and partial agreements. Following an 18 March call between Trump and Putin, Russia agreed to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days, but setbacks have emerged, including continued strikes on cities like Odesa.
Russia has also conditioned a broader ceasefire on the cessation of Western military aid to Ukraine, a condition that Ukraine and its allies have rejected. Despite the purported agreements, Zelenskyy remains skeptical of Russia’s commitment to peace, given the ongoing attacks.
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