Trump ready to speak to Putin and Zelenskyy as Russian attacks continue
發佈日期: 2025-05-18 20:36
TVB News
In Ukraine, nine civilians were killed in a Russian drone attack on the Sumy region after delegations from both sides met for peace talks in Turkey.
With no concrete plans as yet for a ceasefire, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to try to speed up a ceasefire agreement.
Rescuers in Ukraine's Sumy region go through the wreckage of a bus that was hit in a deadly Russian drone attack.
It's a reminder that the two sides are far from a peace deal despite first face-to-face talks in Turkey, which Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to attend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said all victims were civilians.
The talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations yielded a prisoner swap of 1,000 soldiers from each side and an agreement to meet again. But little else to suggest a peace deal is imminent.
Ukraine officials say Russia will only consider a ceasefire if Kyiv withdraws all of its troops from the four provinces in the east that Moscow claims.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a bid to speed up the process, said he would speak to Putin and Zelenskyy.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he wants to stop the "bloodbath" that he says is costing 5,000 lives a week, adding that the war should never have happened.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian media that preparations were underway for Monday's call.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Rome where several world leaders have gathered to attend the inaugural mass of newly elected Pope Leo XIV.
Zelenskyy told Carney: "It's important when two sides want to finish the war. And we really waited for Putin and he didn't come. We think that he's afraid of bilateral or just direct talks. But anyway, I think that the decision of the exchanging of prisoners, war prisoners, is very important. One thousand people, it's a lot, and I hope we will get this result. And of course, we have to make pressure, more pressure on Russia, on Putin, to make peace as quick as possible."
Also in Rome is U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on furthering peace talks. Lavrov said he welcomed the "positive role" the U.S. is playing.
Rubio reportedly said that the Russians were working on a series of requirements they need fulfilled to move the talks forward.
