US President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “soon” to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and would announce the location of the meeting soon.
“We will make an announcement later and we will have a meeting with Russia,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House.
The words came as Ukrainian troops on the front expressed little hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and as a deadline set by Mr Trump for peace in the Kremlin expired on Friday.
Frustrated that Mr Putin had ignored his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, Mr Trump issued an ultimatum nearly two weeks ago to impose new sanctions on Russia and additional tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil unless the Kremlin took steps toward a peaceful resolution.
Mr Trump's efforts to pressure Mr Putin to stop the fighting have so far failed to produce results.
Russia's larger army is slowly advancing deeper into Ukraine, losing significant forces and resources in the process, while continuing to bomb Ukrainian cities.
Russia and Ukraine have significantly different views on the terms of peace.
Ukrainian troops are fighting fiercely along a 620-mile front line that runs from northeast to southeast Ukraine.
The Pokrovsky district in the east of Donetsk region is bearing the brunt of the attacks as Russia tries to break through into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region.
Ukraine is facing a serious labor shortage.
Intense fighting is also taking place in Ukraine's northern border region of Sumy, where Ukrainian forces are battling Russian troops to prevent reinforcements from being sent to Donetsk.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
