Washington - Saba:
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Sunday that "Russia is preparing a list of demands for a ceasefire in Ukraine," following a conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
Rubio said in an interview with CBS News, "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained to me that they will prepare a document in advance outlining their demands for a ceasefire, which will in turn lead to broader negotiations." He noted that "Kyiv will simultaneously work on its own list of demands for a ceasefire."
Referring to the recent negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul, Turkey, Rubio added that they "weren't a waste of time," explaining, "For example, 1,000 prisoners will be exchanged, which is a very positive thing from a humanitarian standpoint."
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday his intention to call Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow, Monday, May 19, to discuss the Ukrainian conflict.
Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: "I will be speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday (tomorrow) at 10:00 a.m. The topics of the call will be... stopping the bloodshed, which, on average, claims the lives of over 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers per week, and trade. Then I will speak with President Zelensky... and after that, with Zelensky and various NATO members."
Trump added: "We hope to have a productive day, and that a ceasefire will be reached, and that this very violent war, a war that should never have happened, will end. God bless us all."
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that the Russian leadership is fully engaged in negotiations on a Ukrainian settlement.