US and Russia discuss ‘next steps’ to end Ukraine war

Lavrov and Rubio in contact to explore diplomatic solutions, but Russia has not yet accepted the truce proposed by the US

The Kremlin has announced that Russia and the US are discussing ‘the next steps’ to end the war in Ukraine, following a phone call between US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. In the conversation, the two diplomats reviewed ‘concrete aspects’ of the understandings reached during last month’s bilateral summit.

This statement comes as Kiev’s European allies are pushing for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, proposed by the US and accepted by Ukraine. However, Moscow has not yet given a clear answer, placing conditions on the proposal. Lavrov and Rubio, according to the Kremlin, agreed to keep the dialogue open, although Russia did not directly mention the truce proposed by the US.

On the US side, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed that the two diplomats discussed ‘next steps’ for Ukraine, with the intention of re-establishing communication between the US and Russia. Donald Trump, President of the United States, said he was optimistic about the signals coming from the dialogue with Vladimir Putin, but Russia has not yet confirmed its adherence to the truce.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has formed a delegation, led by Andriy Yermak, to represent Kiev in possible peace talks, but remains sceptical about Putin’s true intentions. The Ukrainian leader has accused Moscow of spreading false information about the situation on the ground, particularly in the Russian Kursk region, the scene of military operations by Ukrainian forces.

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