Kremlin 'cautiously optimistic' on Ukraine ceasefire idea
As Putin replies to Trump's proposal
Vladimir Putin, the strongman Russian president, has sent a message to his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump regarding the proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine via Trump's special envoy, the Kremlin said on Friday.
The statement added that Moscow saw grounds for "cautious optimism" that a deal could be reached.
The U.S. president has repeatedly stated he wanted Moscow and Kyiv to agree a swift ceasefire to pause fighting in a conflict — launched by Russia's invasion in 2022 — which he has warned has the potential to spiral into World War Three and has already cost hundreds of thousands lives on both sides.
On Friday, Trump again pressed Russia to sign and complete "a Cease Fire and Final Agreement", saying in a post on his private social media platform that he would extract the U.S. from what he called a "real 'mess' with Russia."