Ukraine Peace: US Claims Closer Than Ever | Aakhir Tak

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

• Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, raising hopes for peace.
• US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had a positive phone call.
• The White House says both countries are discussing a “lasting ceasefire.”
• Technical discussions on the ceasefire will take place in Saudi Arabia this week.
• Zelenskyy clarified that Ukraine will not give up land occupied by Russian forces.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that discussions are underway for a “lasting ceasefire” between Ukraine and Russia, and that both sides are closer to peace than ever before. This announcement followed an hour-long phone call between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which both leaders agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. The US sees the start of peace talks to settle the war between the two countries.

Trump-Zelenskyy Conversation: Following a public spat between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House a few weeks ago, this phone call marked a positive turn. Zelenskyy described it as a “positive, very substantive, and frank” conversation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed confidence that a lasting peace deal could be reached soon. “We are now at that place where we are talking about that. So we’ve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework, and we’re looking at a lasting ceasefire,” she said.

Previous Meeting: Recalling the previous meeting between the two leaders, Leavitt said that at that time, the Ukrainian President was not talking about a larger peace agreement. In the previous meeting, Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War Three.” However, today Trump described the hour-long conversation with Zelenskyy as “very good” and said, “we are very much on track.”

Discussions in Saudi Arabia: All eyes are now on the scope of the limited ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which is set to be discussed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this week. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News that this discussion is taking place after the US President’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s Conditions: Zelenskyy also confirmed, after his conversation with Trump, that technical discussions regarding the partial ceasefire would take place in Saudi Arabia this week. However, Putin has presented a long list of conditions, including halting military aid to Ukraine, which Zelenskyy has vehemently opposed. Zelenskyy has also made it clear that Ukraine is not willing to give up any land occupied by Russian forces.

The US strongly believes that peace talk is the only way to end the war. To maintain the peace both countries have to come forward.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

• Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, a step towards peace.
• Trump and Zelenskyy held a positive conversation, raising hopes for peace.
• The White House is optimistic about the possibility of a “lasting ceasefire.”
• Technical discussions on the ceasefire will take place in Saudi Arabia.
• Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not give up Russian-occupied land.

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