In response to Zelensky’s call for new sanctions on Russia, US President Trump said only the US leader could make such a decision.
“It will be my decision, no one else’s,” Trump said at the White House. “We’ll see what Russia does, how it behaves.”
Trump also pointed out that the resolution of the Ukrainian issue has reached a critical moment.
The day before, Zelensky said that in a telephone conversation with Trump, he again called on Trump to impose “stronger sanctions” on Russia in the context of the negotiations that have already begun.
Commenting on Zelensky’s remarks, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova stressed that Russia never responds to ultimatums. She said that Zelensky and Western European extreme liberals are not interested in achieving peace: they want to give the Ukrainian army a breathing space at all costs to restore its military potential and continue the confrontation.
Putin and Trump spoke for more than two hours on Monday evening. Putin said Moscow was ready to draw up a memorandum with Kiev that would include a ceasefire. Trump said he would not impose new sanctions on Russia because there was still a chance to resolve the conflict.
Russia and Ukraine held negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, which lasted about two hours. Russian presidential assistant and head of the Russian delegation, Meginsky, announced that Russia and Ukraine will conduct a large-scale prisoner exchange, 1,000 for 1,000. He pointed out that Moscow and Kiev agreed to put forward their own ideas for a future ceasefire. Ukraine proposed a meeting between the two heads of state during the negotiations, and Russia said it was aware of it. Meginsky also said that Russia is willing to continue the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations.
