Trumps says before talking about Putin’s potential visit to US deal on Ukraine to be made

WASHINGTON, March 18. US President Donald Trump believes that before talking about a potential visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the US a deal on peaceful settlement in Ukraine should be reached.

When asked by reporters whether Trump would be open to inviting Putin to the White House if there is a peace deal signed, he said: "Well, I don't want to really even discuss it [now]. I got to get the deal. I've got to get the deal signed."

"We have to get that agreement signed, but that's the only thing I think about," Trump noted.

On March 11, the US and Ukrainian delegations negotiated in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah. According to the joint final statement, Kiev agreed to a 30-day ceasefire and the signing of the agreement on minerals with Washington. In turn, the US will immediately resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

On March 13, Putin expressed appreciation to Trump for his involvement in the peace talks and supported the idea of a ceasefire. However, the Russian president raised several critical issues regarding the status of Ukrainian military personnel who had entered the Kursk Region, the mechanisms for monitoring the ceasefire, and Ukraine’s potential actions during this period. He stated that Moscow was open to proposals for ending the Ukraine conflict as long as they paved the way for long-term peace and addressed the underlying causes of the crisis.