US President Donald Trump has said he still believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine soon, despite continued attacks and signs that Russia may be preparing to escalate the conflict.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said in an interview with Fox News when asked about his discussions with Putin. The interview was recorded on Tuesday and broadcast on Wednesday.
Putin rejects peace
However, three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin has rejected calls for peace negotiations with Kyiv and is likely to intensify the war, which is now in its fifth year.
Trump had pledged to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine on the first day of his second term, which began in January 2025.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in Kyiv the signing of a partnership agreement between the European Union and Ukraine to strengthen joint drone production.
"What we are signing today is our drone agreement," von der Leyen said in the Ukrainian capital alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky.
EU's strength
"This agreement will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial strength," she said, without disclosing the value of the deal.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has developed significant expertise in drone technology and operations.
"We need to harness this together," von der Leyen said, adding that the aim is to combine Ukraine's battlefield-tested expertise with the European Union's technological capabilities and industrial capacity.
Source: CNA
