The Kremlin said on Monday that the work was being prepared to prepare the second phone call between President Vladimir V. Putin and President Trump, but refused to publish what was going to be on the agenda because US officials continued to reflect optimism on the US Agreement with Ukraine.
The highly expected telephone call, scheduled for Tuesday, will be the first known conversation between two leaders, because Mr. Putin has set numerous conditions for a ceasefire that could delay or derail any ceasefire.
Trump, who spoke aboard Air Force One, said he would expect to discuss territorial problems with Mr. Putin and the fate of Ukrainian power plants. He also noted that there were already discussions about “division of certain assets”.
“We want to find out if we can end this war,” Mr. Trump said. “Maybe we can.” Maybe we can’t, but I think we have a very good chance. ”
The Kremlin’s spokesman on Monday confirmed that it is expected to take place the next day. The question of whether the Ukrainian nuclear power plants would be discussed, said spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov, that in Moscow “the opinion of the content of interviews between two leaders cannot be and priori discuss”.
“That’s why we won’t,” he said.
In recent weeks, Russia and the United States have been involved in negotiations on the war in Ukraine that Mr. Putin began more than three years ago. Ukraine agreed to support the monthly ceasefire of the supported US if it does the same.
While Mr. Trump clearly introduced his wish to achieve some kind of ceasefire as quickly as possible, Mr. Putin seems to be trying to use a moment to get further concessions.
Mr. Putin spoke of the proposal for a 30 -day ceasefire last week and said that the idea was “correct and we certainly support it”.
“But there are questions we have to discuss, and I think we have to talk to our American colleagues and partners,” he said at a press conference.
These notes came just before Mr. Putin met Steve Witkoff, who serves as Mr. Trump’s special envoy in the Middle East. However, he was involved in peace talks about Ukraine and other discussions on the renewal of the links between Moscow and Washington.
Mr. Witkoff said on Sunday CNN that his meeting with the Russian leader took three to four hours. He refused to share the specifics of their conversation, but he said that it went well and that both sides “between them” narrowed the differences between them “.
Moscow pressure to depart the Ukrainian troops Most of the Kursk region Russia In recent days, in any possible action, Kyiv has deprived Kyiv an important negotiating chip. It seems that Mr. Putin is now using the Ukrainian retreat in Kursk to try to strengthen his hand in interviews with Trump’s administration to stop hostility.
Tyler Pager The report contributed.
