Trump claims Putin Signaled Openness to Ending Ukraine War,Amidst Ongoing Battles & Pipeline Attacks
WASHINGTON D.C. – Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated Wednesday that he believesโค Russian President Vladimir Putin โฃis open โขto negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine,following a โคmeeting between his envoys and Kremlin officials. The statement comes asโฃ fighting continues โขintensely โin eastern Ukraine, andโฃ as Ukrainian forces maintainโค a hold on โtheโ northern part of โthe contested city of Pokrovsk, according to Ukrainian army chief Olexandr Syrskyj, โขwho reported on Facebook that Ukrainian units areโข focused on โsupply routes, medical evacuation, and โdefense against drones โandโฃ artillery. this contradicts a recent declaration by Putin claimingโฃ Russian control of Pokrovsk.
The โคnews โof potential diplomatic โavenues emerges alongside โescalating tensions in the region. Ukraine launched anโค attackโ on Russia’s Druzhbaโ pipeline, โขhitting a sectionโ in the Tambov regionโ that โcarries oil to Hungary and โSlovakia. While Ukrainian military sources confirmed the attack, both the pipeline operator and Hungary’s oil company reported continued normal deliveries. The incident contributed to a slight rise in oil prices, โwith Brent crude increasing 0.22 percent to $62.81 a barrel, accordingโ to trading โฃdata.
Adding to the complex security landscape, NATO โpartners Great Britain and โขNorway are bolstering maritimeโ defenses against potential Russian aggression. The two โคnations signedโ the “Lunna House Agreement” today, establishing a joint fleet of at least โ13 โanti-submarine warfare frigates, responding to a perceived increased threat to British waters, according to โฃthe UK Ministry of Defense.
Despite the price increase spurred by the pipeline attack, theโ fitch rating agency cautioned against expecting a significant shift, warning of continued oversupply in the global oil market. The Druzhba pipeline previously supplied East German refineries until the implementationโค of the EU oil embargo in 2022.
Trump’s assessment of Putin’s willingness to negotiate remains unclear,โ as โคheโ stated theโข “further course of events was unclear” following the โenvoy meeting.The situation remains fluid, with ongoing military conflict and shifting diplomatic signals.