President Putin sends message to Trump on Ukraine issue

(CLO) Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message to US President Donald Trump through special envoy Steve Witkoff about the proposed ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Friday.

After a late-night meeting in Moscow, Mr. Witkoff brought back signals from Russia, while the US side also conveyed its views.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were grounds for "cautious optimism" as Mr Putin expressed support for Mr Trump's stance on resolving the conflict, although many questions remained to be discussed.

After his visit on March 13, the US special envoy left Moscow and flew to Baku, Azerbaijan. The Kremlin revealed that the timing of the phone call between Putin and Trump will be decided after Mr. Witkoff reports to the US President.

Donald Trump talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Da Nang City in 2017. Photo: Sputnik

Mr Putin affirmed that Moscow is ready for a ceasefire but needs to discuss it thoroughly. He mentioned the developments in the Kursk region, the state of military aid to Kiev and the issue of monitoring the ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is said to be flexible in negotiations but will not easily meet all of Russia's conditions.

Analysts say Russia could agree to a naval ceasefire and a halt in airstrikes without halting other offensive operations. A full ceasefire would allow Ukraine to build up its forces, something Moscow does not want without a written commitment from Washington. But the United States is not yet ready to do that.

Russia's view is that a peaceful solution is only possible if Ukraine abandons its plans to join NATO and accepts "demilitarization and defascism." Observers in Moscow fear that with the current Ukrainian government in power, the ceasefire could be just a stepping stone for Kiev and the West to gather forces for a future counterattack.

Ngoc Anh (according to TASS, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-putin-chuyen-thong-diep-den-ong-trump-ve-van-de-ukraine-post338547.html