Russian President Vladimir Putin informed US President Donald Trump that Moscow would not “give up” on its goals in Ukraine but was willing to keep negotiating, the Kremlin stated on Thursday after a call between the two presidents.
“Our president said that Russia will achieve the aims it set, that is to say the root causes that led to the current state of affairs,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. “Russia will not give up on these aims,” he added.
“He also spoke of the readiness of the Russian side to continue the negotiation process,” Ushakov said, adding that the call lasted almost an hour.
Putin Also Stresses Diplomacy in the Middle East
Putin also emphasized diplomacy in ending tensions in Iran and the wider Middle East.
The calls follow the Trump administration earlier this week suspending the shipment of artillery rounds and air defence systems to Ukraine, a step that has been said to have surprised Kyiv and allies in a surprise move. The decision by the US came in the wake of a record Russian airstrike on Ukraine as the war enters its fourth year.
White House Cites Munition Shortages
The White House said that the freezing of weapons shipments came after a review of US stocks of munitions, but its doing so was being driven by fears that levels had dropped too low.
Some of those suspended supplies include Patriot air defence systems and 155mm artillery ammunition, but both are deemed essential to Ukraine’s attempts to repel Russian drone and missile strikes.
Trump’s Peace Push Fails to Gain Traction as Putin Holds Firm
President Trump came into office vowing an end to the war in Ukraine quickly, but his efforts have gone nowhere. Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored calls to stop fighting and snubbed requests for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Though lower-level negotiations between the two nations have resulted in prisoner exchanges, they have not yielded an overall solution to the war.
