President Trump said his team warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that “millions” could die if the fighting in Ukraine continues and urged him to spare Ukrainian lives.
The president said there is “a very good chance” that Russia will accept a ceasefire agreement proposed by the U.S. and accepted by Ukraine even as the Russian leader has cast serious doubts on his willingness to pause fighting.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Mr. Trump called the war “a real mess.”
“Millions of people are needlessly dead, never to be seen again and there will be many more to follow if we don’t get the ceasefire and final agreement with Russia completed and signed,” Mr. Trump wrote.
In a follow-up post, Mr. Trump described negotiations between Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and officials in Moscow as “very good and productive.”
“There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — but at this very moment thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by the Russian military and in a very bad and vulnerable position,” Mr. Trump said. “I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!”
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Mr. Trump’s comments come hours after Mr. Witkoff left Moscow after negotiations over the 30-day ceasefire proposal to halt fighting in the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said Mr. Putin stands “in solidarity” with Mr. Trump and he expects a phone call between the two leaders in the future.
“The Russian side was provided with additional information. And also through Witkoff, Putin gave information and additional signals to President Trump,” Mr. Peskov told Russian media. “Certainly there are reasons to feel this cautious optimism.” He added that a “great deal” remains to be done.”
The Kremlin has pushed a list of demands in exchange for the ceasefire, including that Ukraine be stripped of its large army as part of the peace deal, a proposal that is unacceptable to both Europe and Kyiv.
