The President of the United States, Donald Trump, expressed his desire to end the conflict in Ukraine and stop the numerous deaths that occur weekly, mostly of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers. During a press conference at the White House, Trump, accompanied by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, stated his intention to achieve a ceasefire and stop the killings in the region.
In his statements, Trump criticized Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the war, although he emphasized that he does not hold him directly responsible. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff are in Paris to hold diplomatic talks with delegations from France, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Germany regarding the situation in Ukraine.
The U.S. president expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine. If no progress is made before the end of the month, Trump warned that additional sanctions could be imposed on Russia. Russia's demands for entering a peace process include the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from territories annexed by Moscow, recognition of Russian sovereignty over those regions and Crimea, as well as Ukraine's renunciation of NATO membership and the repeal of laws that discriminate against Russian culture.
Trump emphasized the importance of saving lives in the region and hoped for a prompt response from Russia to the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
