Trump announces talks with Putin as Ukraine peace agreement nears

US President Donald Trump has stated that many elements of the final agreement on Ukraine have already been agreed upon, but significant work remains to be done.

As reported by Caliber.Az, Trump shared his thoughts on the situation via the Truth Social platform.

"Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to President Putin concerning the War in Ukraine. Many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains. Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin."

Trump is seeking Putin’s support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted the previous week. Despite ongoing heavy aerial strikes and Russian advances toward expelling Ukrainian forces from the western Kursk region, Trump remains optimistic.

When asked about potential concessions in ceasefire negotiations, Trump stated: "We'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants."

He added: "I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that, dividing up certain assets."

Trump, who has shifted US policy closer to Moscow, has criticized Ukraine as being more difficult to work with than Russia. He had a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month, which ended with Zelenskyy leaving the White House early. However, Ukraine's acceptance of the ceasefire proposal has now placed pressure on Russia to meet Trump’s demands. The proposed ceasefire marks a key test for Trump’s more favorable stance toward Putin, who initiated the invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

The 30-day ceasefire idea emerged during talks between US officials and Ukrainian representatives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11. Ukraine agreed to consider the ceasefire, contingent on Russia’s acceptance of the terms.

On March 13, Russian President Putin expressed gratitude for Trump’s efforts and voiced support for the ceasefire proposal. However, Putin raised several critical issues, including the status of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, the monitoring of the ceasefire, and Ukraine's actions during the ceasefire period. He emphasized that any agreement should not only end the fighting but also address the underlying causes of the crisis and ensure lasting peace.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz issued a warning on March 16 via Fox News, stating that Washington might take action against Moscow if it refuses to agree to the proposed 30-day ceasefire.

By Tamilla Hasanova