Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Friday that he’ll meet with President Trump “within the close to future,” signaling progress in talks to finish the almost four-year battle between Russia and Ukraine.
“We’re not dropping a single day. We now have agreed on a gathering on the highest degree – with President Trump within the close to future,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “Lots could be determined earlier than the New 12 months,” he added.
CBS Information has reached out to the White Home for remark.
Zelenskyy’s announcement got here after he mentioned Thursday he had a “good dialog” with U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters on Friday that the Kremlin had already been involved with U.S. representatives since Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev met with U.S. envoys in Florida over the weekend.
“It was agreed upon to proceed the dialogue,” he mentioned.
Mr. Trump has unleashed an in depth diplomatic push to finish the battle, however his efforts have run into sharply conflicting calls for by Moscow and Kyiv.
Zelenskyy mentioned Tuesday he could be keen to withdraw troops from the nation’s japanese industrial heartland as a part of a plan to finish the battle, if Moscow additionally pulls again and the world turns into a demilitarized zone monitored by worldwide forces.
Although Russian Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned Thursday that there had been “sluggish however regular progress” within the peace talks, Russia has given no indication that it’ll conform to any type of withdrawal from land it has seized.
Actually, Moscow has insisted that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory it nonetheless holds within the Donbas area — an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk, the 2 areas that make up the Donbas.
U.S. envoys have been holding talks with the Russian aspect as properly. Kirill Dmitriev, who heads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, traveled to Miami for conferences final weekend.
Regardless of the talks, within the days main as much as Christmas, Russia saved up its missile and drone bombardment of Ukrainian cities, whereas a Russian basic was killed in a automotive bomb explosion in Moscow.
In a single day into Friday, Russian drone assaults on Mykolaiv and its suburbs left a part of the town with out energy.
In the meantime, Ukraine mentioned it struck a significant Russian oil refinery Thursday utilizing British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.
Ukraine’s Normal Workers mentioned its forces hit the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s Rostov area. “A number of explosions have been recorded. The goal was hit,” it wrote on Telegram.
Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar mentioned a firefighter was wounded when extinguishing the hearth.
Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries purpose to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue its full-scale invasion. Russia needs to cripple the Ukrainian energy grid, searching for to disclaim civilians entry to warmth, mild and working water in what Kyiv officers say is an try and “weaponize winter.”
