Investing.com-- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he will speak to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, as his administration works to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump said that he will have “something to announce” on the deal by Tuesday, and that land and power plants are the main focus of ongoing peace talks.
Trump also said that there was already some talk of “dividing up certain assets” between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump’s comments, which were made to reporters aboard Air Force One during a late-Sunday flight, according to Reuters, come after White House officials said earlier in the day that the President will seek dialogue with Putin this week.
Ukraine had last week accepted a tentative ceasefire deal proposed by the U.S. at talks happening in Saudi Arabia, although it was unclear what the terms were. Reports suggested that Kyiv had agreed to a minerals supply agreement with the U.S.
This came even as Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a controversial meeting at the White House earlier in March. Trump had earlier called Zelensky a “dictator,” sparking concerns that a U.S.-brokered ceasefire will include capitulations for Russia.
Zelensky has so far signaled openness to a ceasefire deal, while Russian officials have flagged “cautious optimism” over the prospect of a ceasefire.
The U.S. had recently also halted all military aid for Ukraine- a move that could hamper Kyiv’s prospects in the long-running conflict and put a timer on the signing of any potential ceasefire.