 "'Finish it off': Donald Trump says Russia, Ukraine 'very close' to a deal")
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said Russia and Ukraine are “very close” to a ceasefire deal, adding that the two sides should hold a high-level meeting to “finish it off”.
Trump is in Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral. After reaching, he said on Truth Social, “Just landed in Rome. A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’”
He added that most of the points have been agreed upon and that the bloodshed on the battlefield should “stop now”.
The US president’s comments come days after he threatened to walk away from a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress. It also follows Trump asking Russia to “STOP” following one of its deadliest strikes on Kyiv.
When asked how he would respond if Russia did not accept a deal, Trump said: “I won’t be happy, let me put it that way. Things will happen.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again rejected suggestions that Ukraine give up Crimea, and the talks between Putin and US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff came just after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.
At the same time, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has said that US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin had a “constructive” conversation, including “a discussion on the possibility of renewing direct negotiations” between Kyiv and Moscow.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told CBS that Moscow is “ready to reach a deal” but added that there are “details” that need to be addressed.
The United States has not revealed details of its peace plan, but has suggested freezing the front line and accepting Russian control of Crimea in exchange for peace.
Trump was quoted as saying in a TIME magazine interview released Friday that “Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelensky understands that.”
With inputs from AFP
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