The administration of US President Donald Trump is exploring various options for resolving the Ukrainian conflict, but there is no clear plan yet, the Fox News channel reported, citing a European official.
According to him, contrary to popular belief, Washington does not have a specific plan of action, and the US authorities are studying the proposals of their allies and listening to their concerns.
„The negotiations between Trump, Zelensky and Putin will be difficult. All options are being considered. There are still many possibilities for tightening sanctions“, the source told Fox News.
Earlier, Trump said in an interview with Fox News that significant progress has been made in resolving the Ukrainian crisis. He suggested that he would be able to bring both sides of the conflict into the negotiations.
In recent weeks, the American leader has repeatedly expressed his desire and readiness to talk to Putin. However, there have been no official reports of any contacts.
The last conversation between Putin and Trump, for which there is official information, was on July 23, 2020.
"Russia has done very well for the United States by releasing American citizen Mark Vogel, which gives hope for movement towards resolving the Ukrainian conflict," Trump said in a conversation with journalists at the White House.
"I hope this is the beginning of a relationship in which we can end this war," Trump said. “We have to stop this war“, the American leader is convinced.
He also said that Fogel would arrive at the White House in the coming hours.
As his national security adviser Mike Walz reported earlier, Fogel, who was serving a sentence in a Russian prison for drug smuggling, was released. He explained that this was the result of an agreement between Moscow and Washington on a new prisoner exchange. Walz did not specify which Russians the United States would release. According to him, Fogel is leaving Russia together with Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Fogel worked as a teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, and before that he was an employee of the US Embassy in Russia. Until May 2021, like his wife, he had diplomatic status. Fogel was detained upon his arrival in Moscow on August 14, 2021. on a flight from New York. At Sheremetyevo Airport, while passing through the green corridor, he was stopped by customs officers. During the inspection of the foreigner's luggage, marijuana and hashish oil were found. He was sentenced by the court to 14 years in prison for drug smuggling. In December last year, the Supreme Court of Russia refused to consider Vogel's request for release.