The White House insists a peace deal in the Ukraine war is close – after Donald Trump and the Kremlin announce he will speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Follow the latest here.
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Donald Trump has said he plans to speak to Vladimir Putin tomorrow to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, while considering concessions around land and „power plants“.
Earlier White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the US president will discuss a power plant on the border of Ukraine and Russia during his call with Putin tomorrow (see post at 18.24).
Here’s a look at the territorial demands of both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – which could be of high strategic importance in the ceasefire talks.
Earlier we heard from Emmanuel Macron about his call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy (see 19.28 post), and now Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready for „an unconditional 30-day ceasefire“ but „Russia must stop setting conditions“.
The Ukrainian president said he has spoken to his French counterpart about „formulating clear security guarantees“ for Ukraine.
„France’s position on this matter is very specific, and we fully support it. We continue to work and coordinate the next steps and contacts with our partners,“ Zelenskyy added.
Sir Keir Starmer has thanked his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney for his „approach to Ukraine“.
He thanked him for joining him on a call this weekend for his „coalition of the willing“ to enforce a peace deal in Ukraine.
„It doesn’t surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives,“ Sir Keir said.
Carney said Canada and the UK have a „remarkable“ history built on „shared values“.
„We’re at a point in history where the world is being reordered, and your leadership, the leadership of the UK, I’ll use the example … of Ukraine, what you’ve been able to do with [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron to bring together a coalition of the willing at a crucial time, I think, will be decisive, must be decisive, in coming to a lasting solution there.“
It comes after Macron and Carney reaffirmed their „unwavering support for Ukraine“ in a statement.
Donald Trump is committed to conditions that must be met by Russia for a 30-day ceasefire, Emmanuel Macron has said.
The French president said in a post on X that it was up to Russia to prove it really wanted peace.
He also revealed he had spoken to Volodymyr Zelenskyy about his call with Trump yesterday.
„Enough deaths. Enough lives destroyed. Enough destruction,“ he said.
„The guns must fall silent. The abuses and sabotage must stop. The deported Ukrainian children must be reunited with their families. These are all conditions that Russia must fulfil. And I know President Trump’s commitment to this.
„We must now move forward with all our partners to present a concrete peace plan.
„A peace plan that provides solid security guarantees for Ukraine. A peace plan that guarantees lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe. A peace plan that prevents Russia from attacking again.“
Vladimir Putin could ask for more concessions from Ukraine before he signs a ceasefire agreement, Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, tells Sky News presenter Mark Austin.
So far Donald Trump has given Russia „all concessions“, including saying Ukraine needs to give up territory, can’t become a NATO member and there will be no US peacekeepers.
In return „it’s been all sticks“ for Ukraine, he says, including cutting off military assistance and intelligence.
„Now the ball’s in Putin’s court and I wouldn’t be surprised if he signed it because he’s gotten so much in return already,“ he says.
As ambassador to Russia McFaul says he negotiated with the Putin administration and „I can tell you that you don’t just give them everything in the beginning and then hope for goodwill back.
„It doesn’t work that way with these guys. They pocket your concessions and ask for more.“
He adds: „I worry Putin has hinted that now he’s pocketed the earlier concessions, he wants more things.“
He says Trump is „not interested in the deals of any long-term negotiation“ and just wants to get a temporary ceasefire so he can declare victory.
On the other hand, from the Ukrainian perspective, „a ceasefire is just a baby step towards what they want to be a more long-term security settlement“.
Asked what will happen in the next few weeks, McFaul says he thinks „Putin is going to take one more run at some more demands.“
„He’s going to test the waters for that, and then he’ll probably sign an agreement. But it’ll be a very temporary agreement, just 30 days. I hope it launches a peace settlement because the Ukrainian people deserve peace. But I’m not optimistic about the long-term peace and stability under these current terms.“
One detail White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in the news conference earlier was that Donald Trump will discuss a power plant on the border of Ukraine and Russia with Vladimir Putin tomorrow.
Leavitt did not give any details about which power plant she was referring to, but her comments may have been a reference to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – the largest nuclear plant in Europe.
Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of risking an accident at the plant with their actions.
For context: The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six units with a one gigawatt capacity each.
It was occupied by Russian troops in early March 2022 and shut down in September that year due to battles near the plant.
Ukraine’s state-owned firm Energoatom has said it does not know the state of the equipment and warned the Russian occupation could result in a serious disaster.
It said because of that it would take up to a year to restart operations at the plant.
Ukraine and Russia „have never been closer to peace“ and „we are on the 10th-yard line“ according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, but our US correspondent James Matthews says, to extend the American football analogy, „the question is who’s carrying the ball?“
„There is a strong argument to say that’s Vladimir Putin right now,“ he adds.
„She was asked about this business of Donald Trump talking about detail, things to be negotiated,“ he says.
„She was asked: ‚Has Donald Trump been speaking to the Ukrainians about that fine detail?‘
„She seemed to indicate there had been discussions about that. That would be a surprise I think. The Ukrainians want to get to a starting point, which is a ceasefire, and thereafter get into detailed negotiations.
„So we’ll see how that comes out in the wash tomorrow.“
We’ve been listening to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s news conference, where she was asked about ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
She says „we are on the 10th-yard line of peace and we’ve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment“.
„The president is determined to get one done,“ she adds.
Asked if Donald Trump would consider putting sanctions on Russia if his phone call with Vladimir Putin doesn’t go well tomorrow, Leavitt replies: „It’s something the president has floated, and certainly he’s willing to do if necessary.“
Leavitt also sidesteps a question on whether Volodymyr Zelenskyy has given Trump authority to divide up Ukrainian assets with Putin.
She says it has been part of the discussion between the US president and his Ukrainian counterpart, but adds further details will come after Trump’s call with Putin tomorrow.
She also declines to answer a question on whether Trump and Putin will discuss Zelenskyy’s future.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is holding a news conference ahead of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s phone call tomorrow.
Watch live on Sky News, in the stream above, at the link below – and follow updates right here.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy was asked further questions about the war in Ukraine by the shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel, after he delivered a statement to the House of Commons on the G7 meeting in Canada last week.
He says the pause in US intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine „has not had a material effect“ because it was only for a short period.
Discussing the ceasefire proposal, Lammy says the UK is prepared to consider putting British troops on the ground, „but there must be a US backstop“.
„At stake is not only the future of Ukraine but the collective security of our continent and therefore Britain’s direct national interest,“ he says.
The foreign secretary also says Russia must „pay for the damage it is causing“ in Ukraine, and there will be a discussion on „moving from freezing to seizing“ Russian assets.
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