US President Trump Monday was working the phones and holding talks with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and European countries in his bid to push for a peaceful resolution of the Russia, Ukraine war.
This is coming after talks between Russia and Ukraine fell flat in Istanbul, Turkey on last week Friday. The negotiations in Turkey were the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has kept up Russia’s military pressure on Ukraine, launching mass drone attacks throughout the weekend, including a barrage on Sunday that Ukrainian authorities said was the largest since the conflict began.
On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated Trump has “grown very frustrated with both sides of the conflict” but was keeping his options open.
In a weekend interview on Russian state television, Putin insisted Moscow maintained both the force and means capable of meeting its military objectives. He said that would include security for residents in territories of Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed but does not fully control.
“Russia at this certain point can continue its military operations. Sanctions are inflicting harm but this harm is not critical for macro-economics of Russia,” Ivan Timofeev, head of the Russian International Affairs Council, said, noting the Russian army is making slow but steady gains.
Zelensky, Trump and Putin...