Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin Photograph: (AFP)
US President Donald Trump on Saturday (May 17) said that he would be dialing Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, stressing that the agenda of the conversation will be “STOPPING THE BLOODBATH”.
The US president stressed that on average, over 5000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week are being killed. He added that trade is also the subject of the call.
“I WILL BE SPEAKING, BY TELEPHONE, TO PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN OF RUSSIA ON MONDAY, AT 10:00 A.M. THE SUBJECTS OF THE CALL WILL BE, STOPPING THE “BLOODBATH” THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK, AND TRADE,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said that after holding a conversation with Putin, he will be speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and also with members of NATO, hoping that it will be a productive day.
“I WILL THEN BE SPEAKING TO PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY OF UKRAINE AND THEN, WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY, VARIOUS MEMBERS OF NATO,” he added.
Russia-Ukraine ceasefire soon?
US President Trump further hinted that a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire will take place and the war will end.
“HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PRODUCTIVE DAY, A CEASEFIRE WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS VERY VIOLENT WAR, A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WILL END. GOD BLESS US ALL!!!,” he stressed.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump insisted that there would be no peace between Russia and Ukraine “until (Vladimir) Putin and I get together”.
Following news of the Russian President Putin skipping the vital talks, US President Trump said that it was “obvious” Putin was going to snub the Istanbul peace talks.
Russian and Ukraine officials held direct talks in Istanbul, Turkey on Friday for the first time in more than three years, trying to make negotiations for bringing lasting peace.
However, there was no sign of a major breakthrough, according to a Ukrainian source. But, Ukraine and Russia agreed to a large-scale prisoner swap during the two hour long talks, the head of Ukraine’s delegation said in an interview.
Source: www.wionews.com
