Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday invited US President Donald Trump to Moscow for further talks over the Ukraine conflict. Addressing the joint conference, Putin spoke for over eight minutes while Trump called the meeting a productive one despite no formal agreements.
“Next time in Moscow,” Putin said. Speaking to the media, Putin agreed that Ukraine’s security should also be ensured and praised Trump for his efforts to resolve the conflict with Russia.
Putin Seeks Balance Of Power
After nearly three hours of talks with Trump, Putin emphasised the need for a just balance of power in Europe and expressed hope that Kyiv and European capitals would engage constructively in the peace process.
“We see the strive of the administration and President Trump personally to help facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict and his strive to get to the crux of the matter to understand this history is precious. The situation in Ukraine poses a fundamental threat to our security. Moreover, the Ukrainian nation, and I have said it multiple times, is a brotherly nation; however strange it may sound in these conditions. We have the same roots, and everything that’s happening is a tragedy for us. And a terrible wound,” Putin said.
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The Russia-Ukraine conflict started in February 2022 and it has been over three years now. Putin added that Russia wishes to establish a just balance of power between the European Union (EU) and Russia to address the long-term issues of the conflict.
“At the same time, we are convinced that in order to make the settlement lasting and long-term, we need to eliminate all the primary causes of the conflict. We have said it multiple times to consider all legitimate constraints of Russia and to reinstate a just balance of security in Europe and in the world as a whole,” said Putin.
Trump Transfers Onus On Zelenksyy
Speaking to media, US President Trump said that the next step now rests with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would be arranged soon.
“Now it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done,” Trump told the local media. “They’re going to set up a meeting now between President Zelenskyy and President Putin and myself, I guess,” Trump told the media.
He declined to disclose the remaining issues holding up a deal, saying only that he wants “to see what we can get done.” Despite the lack of a formal agreement, Trump described the summit as a success, rating it “10 out of 10, in the sense that we got along great.”
Trump said he and Putin agreed that the Ukraine conflict would end with land swaps and US-backed some type of security guarantee. When asked about territorial concessions that would give Russia land it didn’t have previously and potential US security assurances for Ukraine, Trump said it was a point of agreement with Putin.
“Well, I think those are points that we negotiated, and those are points that we largely have agreed on,” he said. “Actually, I think we agree on a lot. I can tell you, the meeting was a warm meeting,” he said. (With ANI inputs)