(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said Thursday that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be reached soon, suggesting that a potential deal may extend beyond the two countries and involve much of Europe.
Trump made the remarks after meeting Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who joined First Lady Melania Trump and Ukrainian officials at the White House for an event marking a localized ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which the first lady helped broker.
Asked whether he had met with Dmitriev, Trump confirmed the meeting but declined to disclose details of their discussions.
“I can’t tell you what I discussed, but I’m just telling you, it’s going to be a big agreement, and it’s going to involve more than Ukraine… I could even say it might involve all of Europe,” Trump said.
The US president also addressed concerns over Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, saying he regularly raises the issue while acknowledging casualties on both sides of the conflict.
“I always bring it up, and I also bring it up the other way because the other way they kill too,” he said.
Trump described the continuing war as a “bloodbath” and expressed optimism that an agreement could soon bring an end to the fighting.
“It is a bloodbath, and it has to end,” Trump said. “I think we’re going to get it ended pretty soon, very soon, maybe.”
Despite his optimistic assessment, Trump did not provide a specific timeline or disclose the terms of the proposed agreement.
The remarks signal renewed diplomatic efforts toward ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, although the scope and details of any potential settlement remain unclear.
