Trump: Putin did not agree to ceasefire during referendum in Ukraine

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — 29 December, 01:24

Trump and Zelenskyy at a press conference on 28 December. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin did not agree to a ceasefire during a possible referendum in Ukraine on a proposed "peace plan".

Source: Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference following their meeting

Details: Trump, who spoke by phone with Putin before meeting Zelenskyy, was asked whether the Russian leader had agreed to a ceasefire during a referendum in Ukraine.

Quote: "No, not a ceasefire. He feels that look, you know, they're fighting and to stop, and then if they have to start again, which is a possibility. He doesn't want to be in that position. I understand that position. But I think we're finding ways that we can get around that."

Details: Trump also said that Russia is "going to be helping" with Ukraine's reconstruction if the war ends. He claimed that Russia supposedly "wants to see Ukraine succeed", even though it sounds a little strange.

In addition, Trump complained that some "bad people" had made a lot of things up, which, he said, had prevented the US from reaching agreements with Russia and Russia from reaching agreements with the US.

Background:

On 23 December, Zelenskyy told journalists that Ukraine would submit a 20-point peace agreement either for ratification by parliament or to a nationwide referendum, and may also decide to hold elections in the country at the same time as the referendum. He believes that holding a referendum would require at least 60 days and a full ceasefire for that period.
On 28 December, Zelenskyy and Trump met in Florida. Afterwards, the two presidents held a video conference with European leaders.
Trump said on Sunday that he had a "good and very productive" conversation with Putin ahead of his meeting with Zelenskyy.
Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov claimed that during this conversation, Putin and Trump had agreed that a temporary ceasefire "under the pretext of a referendum" would only drag out the conflict.

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