Zelensky thanks Trump for ‘productive’ talks forward of ceasefire deadline

[ad_1] Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has stated he and Donald Trump mentioned sanctions towards Russia, defence cooperation and drone manufacturing forward of a go to to Moscow by US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Thanking Trump for "productive" talks on Tuesday, Zelensky claimed that Moscow was notably "delicate" to the prospect of sanctions.

Trump has beforehand acknowledged that if Russia fails to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine by Friday it'll face hefty sanctions or see secondary sanctions imposed towards all those that commerce with it.

Witkoff will likely be in Moscow on Wednesday and is anticipated to satisfy Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin has largely skirted Trump's sanctions risk, although spokesman Dmitry Peskov famous final week that the Russian economic system had "developed a sure immunity" to sanctions as a consequence of being underneath them for therefore lengthy. Trump has additionally admitted that he didn't know whether or not sanctions "bothered" Putin.

The US president could also be hoping that Russia's buying and selling companions will likely be sufficiently inconvenienced by the tariffs that they are going to select to pivot away from shopping for Moscow's oil - finally making a dent within the income the Kremlin must proceed waging its struggle on Ukraine.

On Monday Trump stated he would impose hefty new tariffs on India, a serious purchaser of Russian oil, accusing it of not caring "how many individuals in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian Battle Machine". The Kremlin stated "attemps to power international locations to chop commerce relations with Russia" had been "unlawful".

In his Telegram submit Zelensky stated he and Trump had additionally talked in regards to the "elevated brutality" of Russian strikes on Ukraine.

The US president has beforehand referenced Moscow's repeated assaults on Ukrainian cities, signalling irritation that the bombings typically comply with "good" telephone conversations between himself and Putin.

Solely final February Zelensky was requested to go away the White Home after a disastrous assembly by which the US president accused him of not being grateful sufficient for US support and of "playing with World Battle Three".

The 2 males have steadily repaired their relationship. In July Trump stated the US would promote "top-of-the-line weapons" to Nato members which might then cross them on to Kyiv - and this week it was introduced that Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden could be the primary international locations to purchase weapons from the US underneath this scheme.

Their mixed contributions will quantity to greater than $1bn and can go in direction of air defence tools and ammunition.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated pace was "completely essential" and that Denmark could be prepared to contemplate further funding later.

Greater than three years on from Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian cities proceed to return underneath heavy bombardment and common drone assaults. During the last day six folks had been killed throughout japanese Ukraine, authorities stated.

Earlier than taking workplace Trump repeatedly stated he would have the ability to finish the battle inside a day - and it was at his behest that Russia and Ukraine sat down for ceasefire talks for the primary time final Could.

However the discussions did not carry the 2 sides any nearer to peace and the US president has appeared more and more impatient with the dearth of progress.

Regardless of Trump’s looming deadline, Vladimir Putin final week poured chilly water on any hopes of a swift, long-term ceasefire with Ukraine. Though he stated he seen talks with Kyiv "positively," he additionally famous that "all disappointments come up from inflated expectations".