In a development that could shift the course of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump has claimed that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky are ready to make a deal. Trump, who has been working toward a ceasefire since February, insists that his mediation efforts are making headway, even as tensions persist on the battlefield.

During a press briefing aboard Air Force One on April 3, Trump was asked about his communication with Zelensky regarding a potential peace deal. “I think he’s ready to make a deal. And I think that President Putin is ready to make a deal,” Trump stated, though he declined to elaborate on specific details. He added that the US is engaged in “a lot of good conversations about Ukraine and Russia.”

The former and current US president, known for his unconventional foreign policy approach, has repeatedly criticized European leaders for failing to bring an end to the war, which has raged since February 2022. “We like to see [the conflict] stopped as soon as possible because thousands of people have been killed in a week,” Trump emphasized. “Europe has not been successful in dealing with President Putin, but I think I will be successful.”

Trump’s remarks align with his broader assertion that the war could have been avoided had he remained in office. He has suggested that his close ties with Putin and his ability to negotiate tough deals make him uniquely capable of brokering peace where others have failed.

Trump’s comments come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity between........

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