Vladimir Putin expressed his approval of Donald Trump’s efforts to enhance relations between Moscow and Washington, praising him for “doing everything” possible in this regard. This endorsement followed Trump’s recent remarks, where he highlighted the “very good and productive discussions” that have taken place with Putin in the past few days.
During a meeting with his security officials, Putin emphasized that the prospect of improved relations with the United States is now a significant focus for his administration. “We recognize that the new administration, led by President Trump, is striving to restore at least some of the diplomatic ties that were fundamentally damaged by the previous US administration,” he stated, indicating a willingness to engage in constructive dialogue.
In conjunction with these diplomatic overtures, Putin responded to Trump’s appeal concerning the fate of “thousands” of Ukrainian soldiers who are reportedly surrounded in conflict zones. He mentioned that he would consider their situation as long as the soldiers chose to surrender.
However, it is important to note that no credible evidence has emerged to substantiate the claims made by both Putin and Trump regarding the purported large-scale encirclement of Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian military leaders have explicitly denied these assertions, suggesting a significant gap between the rhetoric from Moscow and the realities on the ground.