Russia, Ukraine ‘Very Close To Deal’, Says Trump After Putin Meets US President’s Deal Maker

<p>Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal”, said US President Donald Trump hours after his envoy Steve Wikoff held talks with Russian Vladimir Putin in Moscow.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While Trump said it had been a “good day” of negotiations&mdash;where Ukraine was not present&mdash;the Kremlin described the talks as “constructive,” reported the BBC. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Earlier, the US President said on social media that “most of the major points are agreed to” and urged Russia and Ukraine to meet “at very high levels” and “to finish it [the deal] off”.</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the need for “real pressure” on Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire. Earlier, Zelenskyy told BBC that the two sides could discuss territorial issues if a “full and unconditional ceasefire” was agreed upon.</p>
<h2>Will Ukraine Give Up Crimea?</h2>
<p>As per reports, under a US peace deal proposal, Ukraine would be expected to give up large portions of land annexed by Russia.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Speaking to reporters on his way to Rome for Saturday’s funeral of Pope Francis, Trump said he would support Russia keeping the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. The idea has been though, rejected by Zelenskyy.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Friday for the high-level talks, the fourth such visit he made to Russia since the start of the year. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov described the three-hour talks as “very useful”.</p>
<p>It had brought the “Russian and US positions closer together, not just on Ukraine but also on a range of other international issues”, he said.</p>
<p>”Specifically on the Ukrainian crisis, the possibility of resuming direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives was in particular discussed,” he added.&nbsp;</p>