Trump says US is closer to one side in Russia-Ukraine talks
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
In an interview with NBC News, US President Donald Trump stated that the United States has become closer to one of the sides in the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. However, he acknowledged that at times, the White House is on the verge of stepping away from its mediating role.
Speaking on the program Meet the Press, Trump was asked whether a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia had become more likely following the recent subsoil resources agreement signed by Kyiv and Washington. He responded that he hopes so.
"I do believe we're closer with one party and maybe not as close with the other, but we'll have to see. I'd like to not say which one we're closer to, but we did do a deal for the American people that was good," the President said.
At the same time, Trump suggested there may come a point when the US will walk away from its role as mediator between Ukraine and Russia. He declined to say what might constitute a "red line" for such a decision.
"There'll be a time when I will say, 'Okay, keep going, keep being stupid.' Sometimes I get close to it, and then positive things happen... There might be something I can't do. Maybe it's not possible to do. Just so you understand, we're talking tremendous hatred (between Ukraine and Russia -ed.)," Trump added.
Trump and the war in Ukraine
Since returning to the White House, Trump's administration has intensified efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. The goal is to achieve a ceasefire as a first step toward a formal peace agreement.
Washington proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire to both Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine agreed. Russia, however, has ignored the proposal and instead announced its own ceasefire lasting only two or three days.
Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US could pull out of the peace process if no real progress is made soon. According to the Financial Times, Trump may indeed withdraw from negotiations, citing "minimal progress." Such a scenario has raised concerns in Europe.
For more details about Trump and US peace efforts, read RBC-Ukraine's article.
