US President Donald Trump has publicly given Russian leader Vladimir Putin a new deadline of a “few weeks” to meet with Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss a potential ceasefire.
In a recent interview, Trump stated he had directly asked Putin to hold the meeting, adding, “we will see who is to blame.” He said the situation would become clear within the next two weeks.
However, this proposal faces significant obstacles. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already rejected the idea of an immediate meeting between the two leaders, confirming no such discussion is scheduled.
Furthermore, sources have revealed that Russia has set strict conditions for ending the war. These demands reportedly include Ukraine fully withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region, permanently abandoning its goal of joining the NATO military alliance, and the removal of NATO forces from its eastern flank. In exchange, Russia is said to be willing to withdraw its own troops from some captured areas.
Political analysts suggest that while Trump’s comments have sparked new diplomatic talk, Russia’s firm conditions make the chances of an immediate ceasefire appear very slim
