The White House says that former U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey. The goal of this meeting would be to help stop the war by working toward a ceasefire.
Even though the latest talks in Istanbul did not result in a peace deal, both sides agreed on a big prisoner exchange. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested having another meeting later this month, either in Istanbul or Ankara. This meeting could include Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.
So far, Putin has not accepted the invitation to join this meeting. But Zelensky has said he is ready to take part. He believes that only the leaders can solve the most important issues.
“Trump is open to it if it comes to that,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, adding that the former president wants both leaders to engage directly.
After the talks, Zelensky asked Trump to take stronger actions against Russia. He wants more sanctions to push for a full ceasefire. Zelensky said Russia should not be rewarded for starting the war.
During Monday’s meeting, Ukraine said Russia refused to agree to a full ceasefire. Instead, Russia offered a short truce for two or three days in some frontline areas. Russia still wants Ukraine to leave four regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Russia also demands that Ukraine stops trying to join NATO and that Western countries stop sending military help.
Even though the two sides have not agreed on peace yet, they did agree on a large prisoner swap. Around 1,000 wounded and young soldiers will be exchanged. They also agreed to return the bodies of 6,000 soldiers who died in the war.
Ukraine is now looking at a new peace proposal from Russia. This document outlines Russia’s conditions for peace. However, Ukraine says a lasting peace can only happen if fighting stops completely on land, sea, and in the air.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the talks were “constructive.” He confirmed that Turkey is preparing for a possible meeting with the three leaders — Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, tens of thousands of people have died and millions have had to leave their homes. This has caused Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II. At the same time, Ukraine said it carried out a bold drone attack on Russian airbases. This attack reportedly damaged about 40 Russian bombers worth $7 billion.
