Washington, DC [US], June 4 (ANI): US President Donald Trump remains optimistic about the progress in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and has urged the two nations to engage in direct dialogue, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), Leavitt confirmed that a peace proposal was recently handed over by Russia to Ukraine, and the two countries also agreed on a new prisoner exchange. “The President’s thinking on the Russia-Ukraine war, as I discussed with him this morning, is that he remains positive about the progress we’ve seen,” she stated. “He urged both leaders to sit down and talk directly with one another—and they did that.”
Leavitt added, “Russia handed over a memorandum of peace, or a suggestion of one, to the Ukrainian side. They also agreed upon the exchange of prisoners or hostages from each other’s countries.”
Emphasizing President Trump’s outlook, she said, “He remains positive about the progress that we’re seeing, but he is also a realist and understands these are two nations at war due to his predecessor’s weakness and incompetence. He is committed to working hard to solve this conflict. That’s where his mind is right now.”
On Monday, Russia and Ukraine held their second round of direct talks in Istanbul, where they agreed on several humanitarian issues, including the exchange of severely wounded prisoners of war, captives under the age of 25, and the bodies of approximately 6,000 soldiers killed on both sides, according to The Washington Post.
Despite these agreements, no major breakthrough was achieved regarding a ceasefire or ending the conflict. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led his country’s delegation, stated that Russia did not agree to an unconditional ceasefire or a direct leaders’ meeting. However, he revealed that another round of negotiations is being considered for the end of June.
A senior Ukrainian official mentioned that discussions are ongoing about organizing a presidential-level meeting involving the US, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkiye. “This is crucial for making progress in the negotiation process,” the official said. “We’ve been telling Russia this war must end, and the world supports us.”
Umerov also reiterated Ukraine’s demand for the return of children reportedly taken from occupied eastern Ukrainian territories by Russian forces. This point of contention added strain to the talks, with the head of Russia’s delegation, former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, accusing Ukraine of “staging a show for compassionate Europeans.”
Russia has consistently denied allegations that it forcibly removed children from occupied regions, according to The Washington Post.
Following the first round of talks in May, both countries exchanged memorandums outlining their conditions for ending the war. Ukraine presented its proposal in advance, while Russia shared its terms during the meeting in Istanbul.
Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday, continuing high-level diplomatic efforts to push for a peaceful resolution. Their conversation coincided with heightened military activity, including a major Ukrainian drone attack targeting deep inside Russian territory and reportedly destroying several nuclear-capable bombers and military aircraft. (ANI)
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