US President Donald Trump said he still believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine soon, despite continued attacks and some indications Russia was likely to escalate the conflict.
– “I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said in a Fox News interview when asked about his conversations with Putin. The interview was taped on Tuesday and aired on Wednesday.
– Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin is rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv and was likely to escalate the conflict, now in its fifth year.
– Trump had promised to have a deal to the war, now in its fifth year, on the first day of his presidency in January 2025.