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US President Donald Trump said that he was hopeful American negotiators could arrange a ceasefire in Ukraine, adding that halting the fighting would be “80 percent of the way to completing this terrible bloodbath.” Washington has demanded an unconditional Russian ceasefire, but the Kremlin has not yet indicated a willingness to halt the war, which has raged for more than three years.
The Kremlin said it is considering the terms of a US-Ukrainian plan agreed to earlier this week in Saudi Arabia. Russia’s foreign ministry has already said a temporary ceasefire would be unacceptable. President Vladimir Putin recently met with Russian soldiers who had pushed against Ukrainian forces in disputed areas.
US President Trump’s diplomatic efforts intensify
Trump said US envoy Steve Witkoff, who is a mediator in the Gaza and Ukraine conflicts, will travel to Moscow this week. Trump did not confirm whether he would directly speak with Putin but said he received “positive messages” from Moscow.
At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington wants an unconditional deal from Russia. “If their answer is ‘yes,’ we’ve made actual progress. If it’s ‘no,’ their intentions will be clear,” he said before a G7 meeting in Canada.
Ukraine’s Response and ongoing conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also doubtful regarding Russia’s seriousness on any ceasefire deal. He threatened that if Russia didn’t accept it, America would impose more sanctions and strengthen Ukraine’s military aid.
On the frontline, Ukraine incurs growing losses, especially in the east and south. There are reports of Russia retaking territory in the western Kursk region, compelling Ukrainian forces to withdraw. Air raid warnings were sounded across several regions as new Russian attacks hit Kyiv and Kherson.
Possible sanctions on Russia
Trump threatened to impose “devastating” economic sanctions if Russia turned down a ceasefire. “There are things I can do financially that would be very bad for Russia,” he said, although he hoped these would not have to be implemented.
With increasing military tensions and diplomatic talks in place, everyone is waiting to see how Moscow will respond to the ceasefire proposal in the next few days.
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