"If I Had Not Been There, Bad Things Would Have Happened to Russia"
Ukrainian Envoy: "Second Round of Negotiations in Geneva"
On May 27 (local time), President Donald Trump of the United States criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues his offensive against Ukraine and refuses to agree to a ceasefire, saying that Putin is "playing with fire."
On this day, President Trump stated on his social networking service, Truth Social, "What Vladimir Putin does not realize is that if I had not been there, many really bad things would have happened to Russia," adding, "He is playing with fire."
President Trump has a personal relationship with President Putin. His remarks are interpreted as a veiled warning that it would be in Russia's interest to actively participate in negotiations if he were to mediate as President of the United States.
On May 16, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct negotiations related to ending the war in more than three years, but they failed to achieve any significant results. Since then, Russia has intensified its offensive, launching the largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war.
However, President Trump did not mention strengthening sanctions against Russia on this day. Previously, on May 25, after Russia launched a large-scale attack, he criticized it as "absolutely CRAZY" and stated that he was considering additional sanctions against Russia.
On the same day, Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for the war in Ukraine, stated in an interview with Fox News that Geneva would be the location for the second round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
He commented on President Vladimir Putin's statement on May 19 that, after a phone call with President Trump, he would present a memorandum regarding a peace agreement, saying, "We have already received it from the Ukrainian side, and Russia should receive it as well. Then, we will put them together and review whether they are acceptable and how they might be adjusted."
He added, "Ultimately, the three leaders?President Trump, President Putin, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine?must come together, resolve the issues, and create a signed document to end the war."
Special Envoy Kellogg also criticized Russia's large-scale drone attacks, stating, "Indiscriminately killing women and children with missiles and drones is a violation of the Geneva Conventions," adding, "Russia is a signatory to those conventions."
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