Donald Trump has stated that a Russia-Ukraine peace deal won’t progress until he meets with Vladimir Putin, complicating anticipated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for a ceasefire through technical talks, doubts arose as Putin sent a lower-level adviser instead of attending personally. Zelenskyy urged Western allies to intensify pressure on Russia for an unconditional ceasefire, amidst concerns that Putin may be manipulating the situation to delay meaningful dialogue.
