Ukraine-Russia struggle newest: Trump and Putin to talk this week as US pushes for ceasefire
Donald Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin in the next week to further discuss a ceasefire deal with Ukraine.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, US envoy Steve Witkoff said the leaders will speak over the phone after what he described as a “positive” meeting with Putin in Moscow.
“I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians,” said Witkoff, who met with Putin on Thursday night, adding that he thought the talk between Trump and Putin would be “really good and positive.”
Ukraine has confirmed its withdrawal from the biggest town it held in Kursk, as Russia battles the last of Kyiv’s troops out of the key region.
In early August 2024, Ukrainian troops staged an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, capturing areas they hoped could be a crucial bargaining chip in peace negotiations.
But seven months later, Kyiv’s forces are rapidly losing ground amid a major Russian offensive to recapture land.
A battleground map shared by Ukraine’s general staff on Sunday seemingly confirmed they had retreated from Sudzha, the biggest town Ukraine controlled in Kursk, and the surrounding area.
Russia threatens Britain and France over Nato observers in Ukraine: ‘Just hot air’
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko has reiterated the Kremlin’s position that Moscow is categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine.
Britain and France both have said that they were willing to send a peacekeeping force to monitor any ceasefire in Ukraine. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his country was also open to requests.
“It does not matter under what label Nato contingents were to be deployed on Ukrainian territory: be it the European Union, Nato, or in a national capacity,” Mr Grushko said.
“If they appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict,” he said.
The Russian official said that a deployment of unarmed post-conflict observers can be discussed only once a peace agreement is worked out.
“We can talk about unarmed observers, a civilian mission that would monitor the implementation of individual aspects of this agreement, or guarantee mechanisms,” Mr Grushko said. “In the meantime, it’s just hot air.”
Russia demands peace deal includes ban on Ukraine joining Nato
Russia will seek “ironclad” guarantees in any peace deal on Ukraine that Nato nations will exclude Kyiv from membership and that Ukraine will remain “neutral”, a Russian deputy foreign minister said in remarks published today.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said that any long-lasting peace treaty on Ukraine must meet Moscow’s demands in a broad-ranging interview with the Russian media outlet Izvestia that made no reference to the US ceasefire proposal.
“We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Izvestia cited Mr Grushko as saying.
“Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of Nato countries to accept it into the alliance,” he said.
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Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, mayor says
Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital said early on Monday.
Klitschko, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, said that Ukrainian air defence units were trying to repel the attack.
Reuters’ witnesses heard blasts in parts of the city in what sounded like air defence systems in operation.
Comment | Putin has given Trump a clear message – he still wants to win
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Putin has given Trump a clear message – he still wants to win
Russia seeks NATO exclusion in Ukraine’s peace treaty
Russia will seek guarantees that NATO countries will exclude Ukraine from membership and Ukraine will remain neutral in any peace deal, a Russian deputy foreign minister said in remarks published on Monday.
“We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the Russian media outlet Izvestia.
“Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance.”
Source: independent.co.uk
