Russian President Putin took US presidential candidate Trump’s remarks on how to quickly resolve the conflict in Ukraine seriously last week. During the recent debate, Trump stated that he would “end it” with President Joe Biden by May 2025, before his last term in office. Putin stated at a press conference in Astana: “We take Mr. Trump’s statements about ending the war in Ukraine very seriously and consider his willingness and desire.” He also pointed out that he is unaware of Trump’s specific plans to end the three-year-long situation. Putin has often expressed his willingness to negotiate, but Russia recently proposed Ukrainian surrender as a condition for a ceasefire. To prevent further progress in the southern and eastern regions currently under Ukrainian control, the Russian president called for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from there. Due to summer demand and weather conditions, oil prices remain stable.
