'Partial' ceasefire emerges from Trump-Putin meeting: Uncertainty continues in Ukraine

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The White House stated that a 30-day partial ceasefire had been reached between the two leaders, describing the agreement as a step toward the ultimate goal of ending the conflict entirely. The Kremlin noted that Putin reiterated his demand for an end to foreign military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine. Trump denied the claims of Russian officials, asserting that they 'did not talk about aid at all.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, 'There are two sides in this war - Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine will not be productive.' Zelenskyy demanded more information regarding the issues agreed upon by Putin and Trump.

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), Ukrainian officials proposed a ceasefire earlier this month that would cover the Black Sea and long-range missile attacks. The Kyiv administration also brought up the release of prisoners held by Russia.

Describing the development on Tuesday as a significant step toward ending the largest land war in Europe since World War II, Trump stated the following:

'We have agreed to immediately declare a ceasefire on all energy and infrastructure in order to have a full ceasefire and a final end to this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine as quickly as possible.'

'According to Trump's claim, 700,000 Ukrainians and more than 850,000 Russians have lost their lives in the Ukraine War. Russian and Ukrainian officials do not share clear data regarding casualty numbers' AP

AGREEMENT INCLUDES PRISONER EXCHANGE

According to the statement from the Kremlin, Putin informed Trump during the meeting that Russia and Ukraine would exchange 175 prisoners of war each, and that Russia would hand over 23 severely wounded soldiers to Ukraine. This development came at a time when Trump was hoping to sign a 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy expressed his doubts about whether Putin is ready for peace, given that Russian forces continue their attacks. Stating, 'This is not just a game where Putin dictates the rules,' Zelenskyy indicated he was not convinced of the Russian leader's sincerity.

Ukrainian officials accepted the 30-day ceasefire proposal during meetings in Saudi Arabia last week. However, Zelenskyy emphasized his doubts that this process would work because Russia has not stopped its attacks.

It was claimed that Ukrainian troops were surrounded in the Kursk region. While Zelenskyy denied this claim, he admitted that they had suffered significant territorial losses in Kursk.

A NEW ERA IN U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS

According to the AP, the Trump-Putin meeting was the latest link in the shift in U.S.-Russia relations. Trump has made ending the conflict quickly his top priority. In this process, he has taken this step even at the cost of straining relations with some long-time American allies. Trump has occasionally boasted about his relationship with Putin while holding Ukraine responsible for Russia's invasion. At the same time, he has accused Zelenskyy of unnecessarily prolonging the war.

Trump said that Washington and Moscow have begun discussing the 'sharing of certain assets' between Ukraine and Russia as part of an agreement to end the conflict. However, neither the White House nor the Kremlin included any mention of land or power plants in their post-meeting statements.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff suggested on Sunday that U.S. and Russian officials were discussing the fate of Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Southern Ukraine. Russian troops had seized the plant early in the war. The plant is considered a significant asset, having produced nearly a quarter of Ukraine's electricity in the year before the war.

According to a Bloomberg report, contrary to what Trump claimed, there are no significant rare element deposits in the country. On the other hand, it was known that Ukraine possesses some of the richest critical mineral deposits in Europe. Trump stated that the U.S. wants rare element and critical mineral deposits from Ukraine as war reparations.

AGREEMENT ON IRAN

In a statement from the White House, it was noted that Trump and Putin also discussed the situation in the Middle East and reached a consensus that ''Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.'' U.S. officials had previously alleged that Iran provided short-range ballistic missiles and attack drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin's statement indicated that Trump supported Putin's idea of organizing hockey matches in the U.S. and Russia. These matches would take place between Russian and American players from the National Hockey League and the Kontinental Hockey League.

Trump once again emphasized his view that Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position. Claiming that Russian forces have surrounded Ukrainian troops, Trump said after his meeting with Putin, 'They are nicely surrounded and that is not good. We want to end this as soon as possible.'

News Source: 12punto