Trump says negotiators headed to Russia 'right now'

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that negotiators were headed to Russia “right now” for talks on a possible ceasefire with Ukraine, after Kyiv agreed to a 30-day truce. Trump did not give further details on the negotiating team.

“People are going to Russia right now as we speak. And hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Ireland´s prime minister.

“And if we do, I think that would be 80 percent of the way to getting this horrible bloodbath finished.”

Vice President JD Vance, who was also in the meeting, added that there were “conversations that are happening on the phone and in person with some of our representatives over the next couple of days.”

Trump would not say when he would next speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but added that “I hope he´s going to have a ceasefire” and that there had been “positive messages” from Moscow.

“It´s up to Russia now,” said Trump.

Trump was coy about pressuring Moscow to agree to a truce, saying he could slap it with “devastating” sanctions but adding that “I hope that´s not going to be necessary.”

“I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don´t want to do that because I want to get peace,” Trump added.Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said that the United States would issue a “strong” response to Russia if the Kremlin refused a 30-day ceasefire offer put forward by Washington and Kyiv.

The proposal to pause fighting between Russia and Ukraine after more than three years of brutal warfare came after intensive talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Saudi Arabia.

It also follows an explosive spat between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, who lifted a freeze on military aid to Ukraine after Kyiv accepted the truce plan -- the latest in a rapid-fire series of developments on the conflict.

Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that the United States would pile pressure on Moscow if it did not accept a halt to fighting that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

“I understand that we can count on strong steps. I don´t know the details yet but we are talking about sanctions and strengthening Ukraine,” Zelensky told reporters including AFP journalists.

“Everything depends on whether Russia wants a ceasefire and silence, or it wants to continue killing people,” the Ukrainian leader added.