'Temporary ceasefire will lead to…': Russia reacts ahead of Donald Trump-Volodymyr Zelensky meet
The Russian remarks came after Putin and Trump spoke on phone ahead of the latter's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump think a temporary ceasefire in Moscow’s war with Ukraine would “lead to prolongation of the conflict,” Reuters reported.
The remarks from Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov came after Putin and Trump spoke on the phone ahead of the US leader's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida on Sunday.
According to Ushakov, Putin and Trump had a "friendly" phone call Sunday before Trump's meeting with Zelensky, and will talk again after it concludes.
"The entire conversation took place in a friendly atmosphere. They agreed to speak again by telephone after the meeting between the US president and Zelensky," AFP quoted the diplomat as saying.
Ushakov said that a call between Putin and Trump lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes and took place at the request of Trump."The main thing is that the presidents of Russia and the United States hold similar views that the option of a temporary ceasefire proposed by the Ukrainians and the Europeans under the pretext of preparing for a referendum or under other pretexts only leads to a prolongation of the conflict and is fraught with renewed hostilities," Ushakov said.
He also said Ukraine should now take the "brave decision" to withdraw its troops "without delay" from the Donbas region to "put an end" to the conflict.
Donald Trump on the phone call with Vladimir Putin
Earlier, Donald Trump said that he had a “good and very productive” call with Russian President Putin. He also gave details about his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The meeting will take place in the main dining room of Mar-a-Lago. Press is invited. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
