Trump sets no date as Oleshky truce holds
The president predicts a Ukraine Russia summit is imminent, while the local ceasefire in southern Ukraine has survived its first 30 hours without a breach.
By Rahul Garnier ·
US President Donald Trump told reporters on October 28 that a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin will happen "very soon." He did not name a date or a location. He only added that "a lot of progress could be made." The comment lands as Western diplomats accelerate their push to end the war.
The diplomatic tempo picked up over the past week. On October 20, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store hosted Zelenskyy, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and European officials in Oslo. The group sought to ensure Europe has a role in the negotiations. The next day, Trump said he was open to meeting Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific summit in China in November. He suggested the focus would be nuclear disarmament rather than Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed that discussions had taken place, but arrangements were not final.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Store spoke with Putin on a 90-minute phone call on October 27. They also spoke with Zelenskyy. Stubb described the discussion with Putin as "frank and substantive." He noted that the outcome of the war directly impacts European security. He added that ending the war requires direct discussions.
On the ground in southern Ukraine, the US-negotiated local cease-fire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky has held for 30 hours. Both Kyiv and Moscow confirmed no breaches. The truce began at 3 a.m. local time on October 27. US First Lady Melania Trump brokered the deal. She said it started two days ahead of schedule to protect civilians and aid delivery. She noted the zone expanded beyond Oleshky in the Kherson region to allow safe passage for humanitarian convoys.
The cease-fire remains in effect until November 1. It is designed to allow residents of the frontline town to evacuate. Conditions there had deteriorated, leaving many unable to flee. Trilateral technical-level talks are planned for the first half of November in the United Arab Emirates.
Ukrainian officials have raised concerns about the prospect of talks without Kyiv at the table. They insist their country must have a seat. Putin proposed a three-way summit with the US and China earlier in October. He aimed to conclude the war toward the end of the year.
Source: RFE/RL
