-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
US President Donald Trump denied having any agreement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to hand over Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions, speaking to reporters on May 12 before departing for negotiations with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to remarks published by the The White House on YouTube.
When a reporter asked, “Is there any understanding between you and Putin that Russia should get the entire Donbas?” Trump bluntly responded, “No.”
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The denial comes despite recent Russian statements insisting that a key condition for any peace talks with Kyiv is the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
During the press gaggle, the US president also emphasized Washington’s robust relationship with Beijing, categorizing the two nations as in a league of their own, according to the Clash Report. “We and China are the two superpowers of the world,” Trump stated, asserting that the United States is the strongest country on earth militarily, while China ranks second.
Trump argued that no other nation can compare to American military might, citing recent global flashpoints as evidence. “Nobody even comes close to us. And that is visible, whether it is Venezuela or Iran,” he emphasized.
The president also indicated a strong willingness to engage directly with Moscow to resolve the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Clash Report wrote. When a reporter asked, “Do you think you might travel to Russia this year?” Trump confirmed it was possible, stating, “I will do whatever is necessary.”
Expressing optimism about the trajectory of diplomatic efforts, Trump said he believes the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine is finally coming to a close. “I think that we will come to a settlement between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump noted before his departure.
The president’s optimism regarding a permanent settlement follows his direct intervention to secure a temporary, three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia that concluded on May 11.
Brokered by Washington, the brief halt in hostilities is supposed to facilitate an exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war from each side.
“This request was made directly by me, and I greatly appreciate its approval by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Trump stated previously, framing the truce and negotiations as crucial stepping stones toward ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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