UkrainianPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyhas said that Russia now appears more willing to negotiate a ceasefire, following a telephone conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump. According to Zelensky, “the pressure is working” and Moscow is showing signs of openness to dialogue on the offensive it has been carrying out since February 2022 on Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian president stressed the need for “total transparency” in any negotiation process and warned that it will be “key to ensure that Moscow does not deceive anyone, neither Ukraine nor the United States.”
The call between Zelensky and Trump followed a meeting in Moscow between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump called the meeting “very productive” and highlighted “great progress,” but so far neither side has announced a formal agreement.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that"the Russians have expressed a desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky."
European leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were also present during the conversation between Trump and Zelensky. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart stated that the bloc"will continue to do everything possible to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine." According to official sources, the allied countries' security advisers will hold talks soon with the aim of agreeing on a unified position on the possibility of a ceasefire.
Zelensky proposed that Ukraine and its allies establish a common position and strengthen international cooperation to ensure that any eventual cessation of hostilities is effective and lasting."Russia must end the war they themselves started," he said, stressing the importance of establishing the"concrete details" of any agreement.
Threat of sanctions
According to the White House, no official announcement has been made as to what new measures the United States could impose against Russia. Trump has previously threatened additional tariffs and economic sanctions against countries that maintain trade agreements with Moscow, such as China and India, particularly related to the purchase of oil and weapons. On Wednesday, Trump ordered a 25% increase in tariffs on Indian products in response to New Delhi's imports of Russian oil.
The Kremlin called these threats"illegitimate" and declared the new measures "arbitrary." Despite international pressure, Kremlin officials insist that Western sanctions have had a limited impact on the Russian economy, while Ukraine maintains that they have undermined Moscow's war machine and calls for their intensification.
Since the start of the Russian invasion, tens of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced. The three previous rounds of negotiations in Istanbul ended without concrete progress, as differences between the two sides persist. Moscow demands that Ukraine cede the partially occupied regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, as well as Crimea, annexed in 2014, in addition to renouncing NATO membership and Western arms supplies. kyiv considers these demands unacceptable.
Last night, Russian forces bombed a recreation center in the Zaporizhzhia region, leaving two dead and twelve wounded, including children, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Zelensky said the attack was intended solely to"intimidate" and denounced the impact on vital facilities and Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Nuclear rhetoric
Tensions between Washington and Moscow have escalated after Trump ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines in response to statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged"caution" following the US decision and recalled the lifting of a moratorium on the deployment of medium-range weapons by Russia.
President Putin announced the entry into service of Russia's new hypersonic missile and highlighted the country's military capabilities. Medvedev warned that the escalation in Ukraine could lead to a direct armed conflict between Russia and the United States.
White House officials confirmed that Trump could meet in person with Putin next week, though the date and location have not yet been determined, and the idea was confirmed anonymously for security reasons. The situation on the Ukrainian front remains critical, but analysts say kyiv's defenses are not yet in danger of collapsing despite Russian advances.
Trump brought forward the date of the ultimatum he set for Moscow to reach an agreement, while maintaining the threat of new sanctions. The US president urged his European allies to increase economic pressure on the Kremlin.
Putin and Russian officials express their openness to"constructive talks," but insist that any concessions must include recognition of the annexed territories and an end to Western military support for Ukraine. The international community remains attentive to the next steps of the two sides to assess the viability of a possible ceasefire and the restoration of stability in the region.
