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Donald Trump 'requests' Vladimir Putin to ‘spare Ukrainian lives’
US President Donald Trump said that he spoke with Vladimir Putin about bringing an end to the Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he held a “very good and productive discussion” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday and urged him to spare Ukrainian soldiers' lives.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!.”
Also read | Ukraine's Zelensky slams Putin after Russia President sets out ceasefire conditions, thanks Trump, Modi
The US president's statement comes after the Kremlin said that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was carrying President Putin's message after a ‘secret’ meeting with Russian officials in Moscow. His visit was part of accelerated efforts by the US to bring an end to the three-year-long war.
“Additional information was provided to the Russian side. Putin asked Witkoff to convey information and additional messages to President Trump,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
Witkoff reportedly held talks with Russian officials after President Putin laid out his conditional agreement on Ukraine's proposed 30-day ceasefire. The Russian leader stopped short of backing Kyiv's proposals completely but said he wanted to discuss “issues” with Trump.
On Friday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of deliberately setting conditions for a ceasefire to “complicate and drag out” the process.
Kyiv proposed the idea during high-stakes talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia. The meeting came after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's disastrous clash with Trump and vice-president JD Vance in the White House. Zelensky reiterated his desire for peace after the US paused military aid and intelligence sharing after the Oval Office clash.
Also read | Ukraine drones hit Moscow buildings, just 4 km from Kremlin, amid US envoy's ‘secret’ visit
Trump's talks with Putin also gained significance, as the Russian president’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said there were no plans for a phone conversation between Putin and President Donald Trump on Thursday.
The Kremlin had also said that a decision on a phone call between Trump and Putin will be made once Witkoff conveys the ‘information’ from the talks and both sides understand the need for a discussion.
Putin had stopped short of backing Kyiv's proposals for a 30-day ceasefire completely but said he wanted to discuss “issues” with Trump. “We agree with the proposals to stop hostilities, but we start from the position that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the causes of this crisis. Then there arise questions over monitoring and verification” of any truce along an almost 2,000 kilometre-long front line,” said the former KGB officer.
