It’s published
The Ukrainians were pessimistic and unable to make a significant breakthrough in the imminent peace deal after making the long-awaited call on Monday between US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Kiev residents were downbeats on the outlook for a peace deal before the summer.
“(Peace) is near autumn, and not now, (Putin) will stall for time,” a Kiev resident told the Euroneus, adding that Russian war machinery will need to wear further before achieving peace.
Another Kiev resident expressed anger over the delay in opening talks between Putin and Trump, saying the two leaders should meet shortly after the US president’s inauguration in January.
Trump, who said his call with Putin was “very well,” posted to the True Society after a call that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would begin “quickly.”
The phone came last week after a failed peace negotiation in Istanbul. This saw Putin invite a face-to-face invitation from Zelensky and send a lower delegation instead.
It was the first time both parties have officially met in person since the full-scale Moscow invasion began in early 2022.
Both agree to return 1,000 prisoners of war each, but no common ground was found for how the US would propose and secure a 30-day ceasefire supported by Ukraine.
Zelenskyy accused the Kremlin of using appeals to the White House as a distraction and attempted to reject Russia’s demands to remove Ukrainian troops from four partially occupied areas of the Ukrainian army.
“Ukraine will not withdraw its troops from its own territory,” Zelensky told the media. The Russians rejected requests to remove troops from the areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporisia and Harson.
Earlier on Tuesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius accused Russia of not being genuinely interested in a ceasefire, but playing for time at the peace conference with Ukraine.
And the European Union said it intends to advance a new sanctions package against Russia, putting a lot of pressure on Putin to embrace an unconditional 30-day ceasefire against Rosin, despite the US not doing so at this stage.
