WASHINGTON, Oct 22: US President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday (local time) that the United States may be nearing a peace agreement regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, citing these sensitive, ongoing negotiations as his primary reason for refraining from imposing new sanctions on Moscow.
Speaking to reporters before departing the White House for South Carolina, Trump highlighted the delicate state of peace discussions, arguing that imposing additional economic penalties could derail diplomatic momentum.
"The other thing, very important: we're negotiating with Russia right now on Ukraine. We are maybe close to a deal. For the first time in a long time, we're maybe close to a deal. When you're close to a deal and you have very delicate negotiations, you don't put sanctions on," Trump said.
He further argued that Russia’s role regarding Iran had been minimal compared to US military actions, while emphasising that he retains full authority to enforce sanctions whenever necessary.
"And the other thing: we have decimated Iran. Russia has had very little input into Iran. Certainly, they could have done a lot more, but I'm not sure they did almost anything. That's something that you have to take into consideration also. So, we've beaten Iran, we continue to beat Iran, and Russia and China, frankly, have certainly not been much of a player, and we appreciate that. So, the people that say that, 'Oh, let's put sanctions on'—you know, I have the right to do them in any day if they behave," he said.
When asked about the possibility of convening a high-level meeting on denuclearisation involving both Russia and China, President Trump once again expressed openness to the idea, calling nuclear disarmament discussions a positive step, without revealing many details about the potential meeting.
"Yeah, we would have a meeting. We would certainly have that as a thing, yeah. I can't say that it's going to happen, but having a meeting on denuclearisation is a very good thing," the US President said.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine stands prepared to freeze the conflict along the current front line and transition towards diplomatic negotiations as part of initiatives to end the war with Russia.
In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy remarked that Kyiv subsequently intends to pursue security guarantees from the United States and European nations.
“Yes. Right now we have to freeze, and I think this is a real way to end this war,” he stated, further noting that a ceasefire represents the baseline expectation Ukraine holds regarding Russia.
He explained that Kyiv would subsequently engage American and European leaders to demand security guarantees, emphasising that peace alongside security remain paramount priorities.
When questioned regarding whether Ukraine would consent to ceding the Donbas region in exchange for concluding hostilities, Zelenskyy dismissed the notion that Moscow holds battlefield superiority, asserting instead that Russian authorities aim to coerce Kyiv into abandoning its territory.
“In 2026, they didn't have success. They are not winning on the battlefield,” he asserted.
He reaffirmed that negotiations must commence using existing battlefield positions, allowing a comprehensive peace plan to materialise through diplomatic channels.
On the other hand, earlier this month, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said, as reported by TASS, that Trump and Putin are potentially set to meet in person on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in China.