The Kremlin repeated on Tuesday (12) Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement that the war in Ukraine was almost over, and US President Donald Trump said the war’s conclusion was “very close”, perspectives not shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Moscow had no intention of ending it.
“I think the matter is coming to an end”, last Saturday (9).
Asked for comment on Putin’s remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that a certain amount of trilateral work with Ukraine and the United States had been done to end the war.
“This accumulated groundwork in terms of the peace process allows us to say that the conclusion is indeed approaching,” Peskov told reporters, although he added that it was difficult to provide specific details at the moment.
Speaking to journalists this Tuesday before leaving for a state visit to China, Trump similarly said that an agreement between the two nations was approaching, but also did not go into details.
“The end of the war in Ukraine I really think is very close,” Trump said as he left the White House.
Zelensky does not share this optimism. On Monday (11), he said that “Russia has no intention of ending this war. And we are, unfortunately, preparing for new attacks.”
Trump called several rounds of negotiations with the warring sides to try to end the conflict, but no peace agreement was reached. Russia, which currently occupies about a fifth of Ukraine, wants Kiev to cede more territory. The Ukrainians want Russian troops to withdraw.
Peskov said Russia welcomed additional U.S. mediation efforts and once the peace process was finalized.
“And for this finalization, in order to put an end to the conflict, a large amount of preparatory work still needs to be done,” he said, adding that the conflict could end as soon as Kiev and Zelensky “make the necessary decision.”
The , coinciding with the anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Nazis in World War II.
While neither side reported large-scale airstrikes during the ceasefire, both said fighting continued along the front line and accused each other of drone and artillery attacks.
