The US could bring Russia and Ukraine's positions closer together
According to TASS, US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that the US administration has been able to bring the positions of Russia and Ukraine closer to a certain extent on the issue of resolving the crisis.
"In these negotiations, all sides will have a point of view," special envoy Steve Witkoff told ABC News on May 18. "The art is to bridge the gap between the sides, and I think we've done that to some extent."
Mr Witkoff added that he believed Washington would be “further along by May 19 in understanding the current situation and how to conclude the negotiations”.
Earlier, President Donald Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social that at 10:00 a.m. on May 19 (9:00 p.m. Hanoi time), he will have a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among the topics, the US President raised the issue of settlement and trade in Ukraine. The head of the Washington administration added that, after the talks with the Russian President, he will have talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of NATO countries.
The previous phone call between leaders Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump took place on March 18.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky once again asked President Donald Trump for military-industrial support. Mr. Zelensky sent a letter with his proposals to the head of the White House.
According to Mr Zelensky's office, the letter contains new proposals for cooperation in the defense industry as well as trade.
"Mr. Zelensky noted that he sent President Trump a letter with new proposals for cooperation in the defense-industrial and trade sectors," a message published on the website of the Ukrainian President's office said, after his meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.