Trump considers skipping Ukraine peace negotiations | World News
Donald Trump has warned that he might “take a pass” on efforts to achieve a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, asserting that the Kremlin is not manipulating him.
The US president’s earlier belief that he could quickly negotiate an end to the conflict has proven to be unrealistic, and now his administration is considering the option of stepping back from attempts to mediate.
US threatens to abandon peace talks – latest updates
Marco Rubio, Mr. Trump’s secretary of state, mentioned that the White House is ready to “move on,” amid scant indicators of a ceasefire, nearly two months after discussions began with Vladimir Putin.
Discussions have occurred with both Kyiv and Moscow, the latter of which Mr. Trump has been criticized for being lenient towards, yet the war has persisted well past its three-year milestone.
When asked what would be necessary for a deal to be reached, Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that he needs to see “enthusiasm” from both parties.
“I think I see it,” he remarked.
“It’s coming to a head right now.”
Donald Trump addressed the war during a recent White House event. Pic: Reuters
‘I know when people are playing us’
Mr. Trump brushed aside claims that he was being manipulated by Mr. Putin, stating: “Nobody is playing me. I’m trying to help.”
“My entire life has been one large negotiation, and I can tell when people are attempting to take advantage of us,” he added.
However, Sky News’ Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett noted that the White House’s hint at potentially walking away from peace negotiations indicated Mr. Trump’s frustration at the lack of advancement.
Before winning the presidential election last November, he boldly claimed he could resolve the conflict in a single day.
Now echoing Mr. Rubio’s sentiments, he stated, “we’re just going to take a pass” if Russia or Ukraine “makes it excessively challenging”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that advancements toward a deal have been made but acknowledged that the “complicated” scenario is “not easy” to resolve.
A previous agreement for a 30-day pause on attacks against energy infrastructure was established; however, both parties have since accused each other of violating it.
Furthermore, Russia has continued to launch lethal airstrikes on civilian targets – the deadliest of which recently left at least 35 individuals dead in Sumy.
Kyiv and its European allies contend that the ongoing assaults demonstrate Russia’s lack of commitment to peace.
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‘No military solution to Ukraine war’
Looking to the future, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that a “memorandum of intent” regarding a much-anticipated US minerals agreement may be finalized soon.
Mr. Trump aims to capitalize on the country’s natural resources as a form of repayment for military support.
There is hope that America’s interest in the nation might help sustain any ceasefire.
This deal was initially expected to close weeks ago but was postponed due to his disagreements with Mr. Trump at the White House.
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Additional meetings are expected among the coalition of the willing, organized by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron to supervise any peace agreement.
Sir Keir had a phone conversation with Mr. Trump on Saturday, with discussions centered on bringing an end to the Ukraine conflict.
