US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he had “good and productive discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and hinted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could “finally come to an end.”
Trump said that he “strongly requested” Putin to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainian troops, or else it would be a “horrible massacre.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!”
Earlier on Thursday, Putin questioned the United States-brokered proposal for a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, setting forth tough conditions and demanding concessions from Kyiv despite saying he supported a truce in theory, CNN reported.
“We agree with the proposal to cease hostilities but we have to bear in mind that this ceasefire must be aimed at a long-lasting peace and it must look at the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said at a news conference – repeating the Kremlin’s previous claims that the current Ukrainian government is part of the underlying problem, as per CNN.
Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022. At the time, Putin demanded that Ukraine never be allowed into NATO, and that the bloc roll back its military footprint in Eastern and Central Europe – which the US and its allies dismissed as non-starters, condemning the conflict as a blatant land grab, as per CNN.
Putin also suggested that Ukraine halt mobilization and any training of its troops, and that other nations stop supplying weapons to Kyiv during the ceasefire – at a time when “Russian troops are advancing on almost all areas of combat contact”, as per CNN. (ANI)
