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| ‘Freeze’ in Ukraine war may be close, says Tusk, as US and Russia plan talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Polish PM makes remarks after speaking with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, amid White House efforts to end the conflict | Polish PM makes remarks after speaking with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, amid White House efforts to end the conflict |
| The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, has said a “freeze” in the war in Ukraine may be close as the White House and the Kremlin push forward with discussions for a high-level summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in the coming days. | The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, has said a “freeze” in the war in Ukraine may be close as the White House and the Kremlin push forward with discussions for a high-level summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in the coming days. |
| Tusk’s remarks came after he spoke with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has communicated with Trump and European leaders in recent days as the White House continues to try to broker an end to the three-and-a-half-year war. | Tusk’s remarks came after he spoke with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has communicated with Trump and European leaders in recent days as the White House continues to try to broker an end to the three-and-a-half-year war. |
| “There are certain signals, and we also have an intuition, that perhaps a freeze in the conflict – I don’t want to say the end, but a freeze in the conflict – is closer than it is further away,” Tusk said during a news conference. “There are hopes for this.” | “There are certain signals, and we also have an intuition, that perhaps a freeze in the conflict – I don’t want to say the end, but a freeze in the conflict – is closer than it is further away,” Tusk said during a news conference. “There are hopes for this.” |
| Tusk said Zelenskyy was “very cautious but optimistic” about the ceasefire, Reuters reported. Ukraine was keen that Poland and other European countries play a role in planning for a ceasefire and an eventual peace settlement, Tusk said. | Tusk said Zelenskyy was “very cautious but optimistic” about the ceasefire, Reuters reported. Ukraine was keen that Poland and other European countries play a role in planning for a ceasefire and an eventual peace settlement, Tusk said. |
| Trump has said he is willing to meet Putin one on one without preconditions, including direct negotiations between Putin and Zelenskyy, stoking fears that Ukraine may be left out of negotiations for the framework of a potential ceasefire. | Trump has said he is willing to meet Putin one on one without preconditions, including direct negotiations between Putin and Zelenskyy, stoking fears that Ukraine may be left out of negotiations for the framework of a potential ceasefire. |
| Zelenskyy has responded by speaking with European leaders including the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who are key conduits to Trump. | Zelenskyy has responded by speaking with European leaders including the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who are key conduits to Trump. |
| Fox News reported on Friday that the meeting could take place at the end of next week. Potential venues include Switzerland, Rome, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates, the conservative outlet said. Switzerland and Italy are parties to the international criminal court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, and their law enforcement would theoretically be required to detain the Russian president. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán announced plans to withdraw from the ICC earlier this year. | Fox News reported on Friday that the meeting could take place at the end of next week. Potential venues include Switzerland, Rome, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates, the conservative outlet said. Switzerland and Italy are parties to the international criminal court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, and their law enforcement would theoretically be required to detain the Russian president. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán announced plans to withdraw from the ICC earlier this year. |
| Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said Putin did not have to meet Zelenskyy first before the US and Russian presidents could meet. | Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said Putin did not have to meet Zelenskyy first before the US and Russian presidents could meet. |
| “No, he doesn’t,” Trump said. “They would like to meet with me and I’ll do whatever I can to stop the killing.” | “No, he doesn’t,” Trump said. “They would like to meet with me and I’ll do whatever I can to stop the killing.” |
| Putin said he was not ready to meet Zelenskyy, even as the Kremlin claimed preparations were under way for a set-piece bilateral summit with Trump next week. | Putin said he was not ready to meet Zelenskyy, even as the Kremlin claimed preparations were under way for a set-piece bilateral summit with Trump next week. |
| “I have nothing against it in general, it is possible, but certain conditions must be created for this,” Putin said of a meeting with Zelenskyy. “But unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions.” | “I have nothing against it in general, it is possible, but certain conditions must be created for this,” Putin said of a meeting with Zelenskyy. “But unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions.” |
| The US envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed a three-way meeting with Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy but the Kremlin had ignored that suggestion, said the Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, and was “focusing on preparations for a bilateral meeting with Trump in the first place”. | The US envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed a three-way meeting with Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy but the Kremlin had ignored that suggestion, said the Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, and was “focusing on preparations for a bilateral meeting with Trump in the first place”. |
| No venue has been set for the potential summit but Putin did mention that Dubai in the UAE was a possibility during a meeting with its leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahya. | No venue has been set for the potential summit but Putin did mention that Dubai in the UAE was a possibility during a meeting with its leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahya. |