US President Says There is ‘Strong Inclination’ to End Russia’s War in Ukraine

Reuters

US President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington was seeing a “very strong inclination” towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, adding that both sides were “tired of fighting”.

"We're having a very good conversation about that in Abu Dhabi," Trump told reporters at the White House on the eve of US-led, three-sided talks scheduled in Abu Dhabi.

Trump pledged to bring the conflict to an end when he took office in January 2025. However, his efforts to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.

"We're also seeing a very strong inclination to end Russia and Ukraine (war). We're involved in that," Trump told reporters.

Ukraine and Russia remain firmly divided over territorial issues. Kyiv wants Russian forces pushed back to the countries’ original borders, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking control of the entire Donbas region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine’s battlefield gains and mounting Russian casualties were strengthening Kyiv’s position in negotiations.

The talks, aimed at bringing the war closer to an end, will be the first of their kind since February. The conflict has now continued for more than four and a half years.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to lead Washington’s mediation efforts during the two-day negotiations in Abu Dhabi. A US official said the envoys could potentially travel to Russia following the talks to meet Putin.

The official acknowledged that negotiations would take time but said Washington remained cautiously optimistic about the prospects for progress.

Zelenskyy has clashed with Trump in recent weeks over the US president’s decisions to purchase Russian diesel, suspend some sanctions and urge Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. Trump has also called for Zelenskyy to be replaced.

The 1,200-kilometre (775-mile) front line has remained largely unchanged for several months, with Russian forces controlling approximately 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

Source: Reuters



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