Trump warns Zelensky situation will worsen without Russia deal
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Camer
Donald Trump pressed Volodymyr Zelensky to reach an agreement with Russia, warning that the situation would worsen without a deal. US envoy Steve Witkoff held three hours of talks with Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, while the Kremlin dismissed Ukrainian and European proposals as lacking substance, according to Camer.
Donald Trump warned on Wednesday 21 October that the situation in Ukraine “will only get worse” if Kyiv does not reach an agreement with Russia. The US president also criticised Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that Ukraine replace him as chief negotiator, Camer reports.
US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg for about three hours, after talks in Oslo with Zelensky and European officials. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the proposals presented by Witkoff “do not contain much”. Moscow said it was prepared in principle to resume trilateral talks in mid-November, but is demanding the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, part of which Kyiv still controls.
In Oslo, Zelensky presented security guarantees inspired by Article 5 of NATO, including a scaled-down version, as well as various possible ceasefire formats. He said he was ready to negotiate without Ukraine fully joining the Atlantic Alliance. The meeting with Witkoff in Oslo preceded the US envoy’s trip to Moscow (Zelensky’s talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo).
During the meeting in Saint Petersburg, Putin also released an American held in Russia after fighting in Ukraine. The release came as talks between the two sides also covered diesel deliveries.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
