Russian President Vladimir Putin says he reached understandings with US President Donald Trump over the end of the Ukraine war at their meeting in Alaska last month.
But he did not specify whether he would agree to peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, brokered by Trump, who has apparently given a deadline for Putin's response.
Speaking at a summit in China, Putin defended his decision to invade Ukraine, blaming the West for the ongoing war.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned that Putin had agreed to security guarantees for Ukraine as part of potential peace negotiations, although Moscow has not confirmed this.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Putin expressed gratitude towards Chinese and Indian leaders for their support regarding the Ukrainian crisis.
Putin's proclamations come amidst renewed military tensions, with Russia recently conducting significant aerial assaults on Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron remarked that if Putin does not respond positively to Trump’s proposals by the set deadline, it would indicate manipulation on Trump’s part.
While Trump has formerly asserted he could resolve the conflict swiftly, he has subtly shifted from a ceasefire proposal to advocating for a permanent peace deal. He suggested that the U.S. would provide security assurances without deploying troops to Ukraine.
These recent discussions underline the complexities of achieving diplomatic resolutions amid ongoing warfare and geopolitical rivalries.
