The Kremlin mentioned on Monday that work was underway to organize the second telephone name between President Vladimir V. Putin and President Trump however refused to reveal what could be on the agenda, as American officers continued to venture some optimism a few U.S.-backed cease-fire cope with Ukraine.
The extremely anticipated telephone name, scheduled for Tuesday, would be the first identified dialog between the 2 leaders since Ukraine agreed to help a U.S.-backed monthlong cease-fire, so long as Russia does the identical. Whereas Mr. Trump has unequivocally said his want to dealer some type of truce as shortly as attainable, Mr. Putin seems to be seeking to use the second to win extra concessions.
Talking aboard Air Power One on Sunday night, Mr. Trump mentioned that he anticipated to debate territorial points with Mr. Putin in addition to the destiny of Ukrainian energy crops. He additionally famous that there had already been discussions about “dividing up sure property.”
“We wish to see if we are able to deliver that struggle to an finish,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “Possibly we are able to. Possibly we are able to’t, however I believe now we have an excellent likelihood.”
The Kremlin’s spokesman confirmed on Monday {that a} name was anticipated to happen the next day. When requested whether or not Ukrainian energy crops could be mentioned, the spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, mentioned “we by no means get forward of issues” since in Moscow’s “opinion the contents of conversations between the 2 leaders can’t be mentioned a priori.”
“That’s the reason we is not going to try this,” he instructed a briefing.
Mr. Putin has not but agreed to the 30-day cease-fire that U.S. officers proposed after talks with Ukrainian officers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He has mentioned the thought was “the appropriate one and we undoubtedly help it” — however laid out quite a few circumstances that would delay or derail any truce.
“There are questions that we have to focus on, and I believe that we have to discuss them by way of with our American colleagues and companions,” he told a news conference on Thursday.
These remarks got here simply earlier than Mr. Putin met with Steve Witkoff, who serves as Mr. Trump’s particular envoy to the Center East. However he has been concerned within the peace talks over Ukraine and different discussions about restoring ties between Moscow and Washington.
Mr. Witkoff instructed CNN on Sunday that his assembly with Russia’s chief had lasted three to 4 hours. He declined to share the specifics of their dialog, however mentioned it went nicely and that the 2 sides had “narrowed the variations between them.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has accused Mr. Putin of stalling whereas Russia’s military advances on the battlefield to strengthen his hand in talks with the Trump administration about pausing the hostilities.
Moscow’s push to drive out Ukrainian troops from most of the Kursk region of Russia in current days has disadvantaged Kyiv of an vital bargaining chip in any potential negotiations. .
With its advance in Kursk, Russia can present Mr. Trump that it holds the momentum on the battlefield. Battlefield maps compiled by each Russian and Western teams analyzing fight footage and satellite tv for pc photographs present that Russian forces have already crossed into Ukraine’s Sumy area from Kursk, in what analysts say could also be an effort to flank and encircle the remaining Ukrainian troops in Kursk or open a brand new entrance within the struggle.
Mr. Zelensky has accused Russia to making ready to mount a bigger offensive into the Sumy area, which is residence to a whole lot of 1000’s of individuals. These actions, he mentioned, indicated that Mr. Putin was not serious about peace.
For the reason that American proposal for a cease-fire, Mr. Zelensky mentioned on Sunday night time, “Russia stole virtually one other week — every week of struggle that solely Russia desires.”
“We are going to do every thing to additional intensify diplomacy. We are going to do every thing to make diplomacy efficient,” he wrote on social media.
The reference to “energy crops” by Mr. Trump was the most recent indication that they may issue into any such diplomacy round a cease-fire. Whereas the president didn’t elaborate, his feedback got here on the identical day Mr. Witkoff talked about a “nuclear reactor” in an interview with CBS News.
That appeared be a reference to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, which Russia seized early within the struggle and nonetheless controls.
The six-reactor plant, Europe’s largest, has not equipped energy to Ukraine’s grid since its seize. Its proximity to frontline preventing has long raised concerns concerning the threat of a radiological catastrophe.
Ukraine has repeatedly demanded Russian forces depart the ability plant so as to cut back the danger of a nuclear accident and ease the nation’s energy shortages. However that risk has grown more and more unlikely as Russia strengthens its maintain on occupied territories in Ukraine.
Viktoria Hryb, the top of the Ukrainian Parliament’s subcommittee on vitality safety, mentioned she was “slightly shocked that the query of the plant emerged” within the remarks by Mr. Trump and Mr. Witkoff.
“Ukraine desires it again,” she mentioned, but it surely isn’t clear why Russia would give it up. The facility plant sits in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia area, which Russia has formally annexed regardless of controlling solely a part of its territory.
It’s unclear what Russia might ask in trade for returning the Zaporizhzhia plant to Ukrainian management.
Victoria Voytsitska, a former lawmaker and senior member of the Ukrainian Parliament’s vitality committee, famous that Moscow had lengthy sought to renew oil and gasoline exports to Western international locations. These exports, a vital income for Russia’s authorities, largely stopped after the struggle started, as European international locations moved to wean them off Russian vitality provides and imposed sanctions on Russian vitality firms.
Tyler Pager contributed reporting.
