WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
US President Donald Trump said that Vladimir Zelensky currently has no trump cards in the negotiating position and threatened Russia with devastating sanctions if an agreement on Ukraine is not reached.
I have always said that he has no trump cards... frankly, he has none - Trump said in an interview with "Fox News" commenting on the negotiations.
Trump also stressed that he believes that the Russian leadership is fully involved in the negotiations on Ukraine, given that they initiated the meeting in Turkey.
- He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is at the negotiating table. He wanted this meeting - said Trump, responding to the comment that the Russian leader did not go to Turkey and to the question of whether this was an obstacle to peace.
Trump added that he had not planned to go to Turkey and did not expect to meet with the Russian president.
- But without me, there will be no deal. That's why we need to meet, I think we'll come to an agreement on that," Trump said.
The US leader also said he would impose new sanctions on Russia if an agreement on Ukraine is not reached. As he said, "it will be devastating for Russia."
"They have a difficult economic situation now, the price of oil is low," Trump concluded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously suggested resuming direct talks with Ukraine without preconditions in Istanbul on May 15.
The head of state did not rule out that during the talks the parties could reach an agreement on a ceasefire. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia is determined to seriously seek ways to achieve a long-term peace solution. According to him, the goals of the proposed talks with Ukraine are to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and ensure Russia's interests.
The talks between Russia and Ukraine were expected to be held on Thursday. The Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul, but there were no contacts between representatives of the two countries on Thursday.
The talks held on Friday lasted almost two hours. Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who is leading the Russian delegation, announced a large-scale prisoner exchange with Ukraine, 1,000 for 1,000.
According to him, Moscow and Kiev have agreed to present their views on a possible future ceasefire. During the negotiations, the Ukrainian side requested a meeting of heads of state, which Russia has taken note of.
