Trump claims Russia and Ukraine close to peace agreement
Russia and Ukraine are close to reaching an agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Friday evening on the Truth Social platform. The President, along with the First Lady, arrived in Rome for Pope Francis's funeral.
"Just landed in Rome. A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to "finish it off."" Trump wrote.
Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war! added the Republican.
On Friday in Moscow, Russian leader Vladimir Putin met with the U.S. President's envoy, Steve Witkoff. According to the Kremlin, both parties made progress in narrowing the differences between America and Russia regarding the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump: Crimea will stay with Russia
The Reuters agency also reported on Friday that American proposals for the terms of the truce in Ukraine include, among other things, recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. Meanwhile, Trump, in an interview with "Time" magazine, stated that Crimea would remain with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously rejected the possibility of legally recognizing the occupation of Crimea, emphasizing that it would contradict the Ukrainian constitution. On Wednesday, Trump declared that Zelensky's exclusion of legal recognition of the peninsula's annexation is very harmful to peace negotiations. He stated, however, that no one is asking Ukraine to recognize the annexation, yet he also pointed out that Ukraine did not offer armed resistance to Russia before the occupation of the peninsula.
