Putin tells Trump peace talks are unlikely, cites Ukraine drone attacks
Drone attacks on Moscow during last month's election undermined trilateral peace negotiations, the Kremlin says.
According to Kremlin sources, both former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and US President Donald Trump, along with his wife Melania, congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his 74th birthday. Putin's top foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, stated that Trump wished Putin success and well-being on the call and even informed Melania about the greeting.
Putin thanked Trump for his words. The Kremlin reported that the call was positive, as neither Putin nor Trump wanted to start a conflict first. Putin celebrated his birthday on Wednesday and invited his friend Gerhard Schröder, who was away for a private appointment in Moscow. Following the call with Putin, Trump announced a deal offering over 300,000 barrels of diesel fuel to the US and the global market.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the deal, asserting it was an investment in the ongoing war against Ukraine, which must end, not prolonged. Meeting between Putin and Trump at the Apec summit is expected, according to Ushakov. Putin reiterated Russia's stance on the "military special operation," emphasizing that it remains unchanged.
He appreciated Trump's and his team's focus on dialogue with Russia, with expectations of a meeting at the Apec economic summit in China in mid-November, though a specific date has yet to be determined. Russia has been conducting an offensive war against Ukraine since late February 2022. Washington has been urging both sides to reach a peace agreement for months.
On Putin's birthday, Russia launched a particularly fierce attack on Ukraine, killing at least 25 people, according to official reports.
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