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US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be reached soon, describing the prospective deal as a "big, beautiful agreement" that may extend beyond the two warring nations and involve the whole of Europe.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump praised First Lady Melania Trump's humanitarian efforts in facilitating communication between Russia and Ukraine, while indicating that diplomatic efforts were moving towards a possible settlement of the conflict. Asked whether he believed the war could be brought to an end, Trump said, "I do. I think it's great. I think she's done a great job, and we'reI think we're going to be very close to settling Russia, Ukraine." Trump also confirmed that he had met Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, at the White House. While declining to disclose details of their conversation, he suggested that the discussions could lead to a wider diplomatic understanding. "Yeah, I did. I can't tell you what I discussed, but I'm just telling you, there's going to be an agreement. It's going to be a big agreement, and it's going to involve more than Ukraine. It's going to be a very bigit's going to involve more than Ukraine, and I could even say it might involve all of Europe. It's going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone's going to be thrilled," Trump said. Trump's remarks came amid continued diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has resulted in extensive casualties and displacement since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The US President also highlighted the human cost of the war, saying that both countries were suffering significant losses every month. "They're losing between the two of them, they're losing 25,000 people to death, 25,000 people a month. It's a bloodbath, and it has to end," he said. Meanwhile, Melania Trump has been involved in humanitarian efforts concerning children affected by the conflict. The White House said she had helped bring Russian and Ukrainian representatives together and facilitated arrangements aimed at reuniting children with their families. Her efforts also contributed to a localised ceasefire arrangement in Oleshky, aimed at enabling humanitarian assistance and the evacuation of civilians. The temporary truce reportedly allowed nearly 800 people to be evacuated from the area. Melania Trump had also sent letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of her efforts to address the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. (ANI)
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