Ukraine war latest: Trump to meet Zelensky at Davos today with peace deal ‘close’

Volodymyr Zelensky is because of give a speech on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos at 1:30pm GMT (2:30pm native time).

His speech will come shortly after a gathering with Donald Trump at 12pm GMT, the place the pair will proceed peace talks which, in line with the US president, have introduced a deal “moderately shut”.

The Kremlin has declined to touch upon claims by Donald Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff {that a} peace deal is “shut”.

Mr Witkoff is at present in Moscow, alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin afterward Thursday.

“We might not prefer to touch upon the present stage of the negotiations, particularly within the lead-up to Witkoff’s arrival in Moscow and his assembly with Putin,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned.

He added: “It is clear that the Russian president extremely values ​​the peacemaking efforts of President Trump personally and his staff, together with Particular Envoy Witkoff… We welcome these efforts and their effectiveness.”

Mr Witkoff advised an viewers on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos that there was “loads of progress” within the peace talks, including that talks had been down to 1 final problem.

The Kremlin mentioned it can present a briefing after the assembly.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has simply arrived in Switzerland forward of a gathering with Donald Trump at Davos, his spokesperson has mentioned.

Kyiv and Washington are nonetheless seeking to finalise an settlement to finish the struggle in Ukraine.

The US president has mentioned events are actually “moderately shut” – however he has made such feedback a number of occasions over the previous few months, regardless of no clear indication that Russia and Ukraine are nearer to a deal.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has mentioned he’ll talk about a attainable peace plan for Ukraine with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Moscow in the present day.

Trump mentioned yesterday {that a} deal to finish the struggle was “moderately shut”.

America has held talks with Russia, and individually with Kyiv and European leaders, on numerous completely different drafts of a plan for ending the struggle in Ukraine, however no deal has but been reached regardless of Trump’s repeated guarantees to clinch one.

Putin, talking at a Russian Safety Council assembly late final night time, mentioned that he would meet Trump particular envoy Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow to “proceed dialogue on the Ukrainian settlement” in addition to Trump’s “Board of Peace” concept.

At stake is learn how to finish the deadliest struggle in Europe for the reason that Second World Conflict, the way forward for Ukraine, the extent to which European powers are sidelined and whether or not or not a peace deal brokered by the USA will endure.

US envoy Steve Witkoff has mentioned he’s travelling to Moscow later in the present day to debate an finish to the struggle in Ukraine.

“I feel we’ve made loads of progress,” Witkoff mentioned, including that negotiations had been down to 1 final problem.

“So if each side need to remedy this, we will get it solved,” Witkoff advised the viewers in Davos.

He mentioned that the creation of a tariff free zone in Ukraine can be “recreation altering” for the nation’s financial system.

Nato secretary basic Mark Rutte has mentioned the alliance ought to prioritise Ukraine and never Greenland because the US president builds cross-Atlantic stress on the Danish territory.

Talking at a panel session on the annual World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Rutte mentioned: “On Greenland, now we have to be sure that that problem will get solved in an amicable method. However the primary problem isn’t Greenland. Now, the primary problem is Ukraine.”

Rutte mentioned that he “nervous that we’d drop the ball focusing a lot on these different points.”

“Concentrate on Ukraine ought to be our primary precedence, after which we will talk about all the problems, together with Greenland,” Rutte mentioned. “But it surely ought to be Ukraine first, as a result of it’s essential for our European and US safety,” he mentioned, including that public disputes can have an effect on diplomatic course of.

The Nato chief added that he was working “behind the scenes” to diffuse disagreements between the European Union and the US over Greenland, which Trump has claimed he desires to seize.

High Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov mentioned he met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner within the Swiss resort of Davos.

Umerov mentioned the assembly on the sidelines of the World Financial Discussion board targeted on safety ensures for Ukraine and a post-war restoration plan.

Umerov mentioned a Ukrainian delegation had additionally met representatives of the US funding agency Blackrock, which is concerned in rebuilding plans.

US president Donald Trump mentioned Russian president Vladimir Putin has accepted his invitation to hitch Trump’s Board of Peace initiative aimed toward resolving world conflicts, a press release that Putin rapidly countered, saying that the invitation was solely into account.

“He was invited. He’s accepted,” Trump advised reporters on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland after assembly with Nato chief Mark Rutte.

Shortly after, Putin mentioned Russia’s international ministry had been instructed to check Trump’s invitation to hitch his proposed Board of Peace and would reply in the end.

Putin mentioned he noticed the proposal primarily as a part of efforts to take care of a Center East peace settlement.

Even earlier than any choice on becoming a member of the Board, Putin mentioned Moscow was prepared to offer $1bn – as required by Trump for long-term membership – “in view of Russia’s particular relations with the Palestinian folks”.

However he mentioned this should be taken from the Russian belongings frozen in Europe after his invasion of Ukraine.

America stays dedicated to Ukraine, Nato secretary basic Mark Rutte mentioned on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland.

On being requested if US president Donald Trump confirmed dedication to Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, Rutte mentioned: “Sure! And I’ve by no means doubted this.”

“What we’d like is to maintain our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Let’s not drop that ball,” he mentioned.