RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Putin discusses with Security Council his conversation with Trump — spokesman

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a closed-door discussion with the Security Council regarding his recent conversation with US President Donald Trump, as well as the broader context of ongoing contacts with the United States, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

"Of course, [he discussed it]," Peskov responded to a related question.

Putin's conversation with Trump occurred on Wednesday and marked their first communication in three years. The last official dialogue between the two leaders took place in July 2020, during Trump's previous term in office.

During their discussion, Putin and Trump advocated for a negotiated resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, promoted the development of cooperation between their nations, and agreed to maintain personal communication, including the organization of in-person meetings.

Putin's meetings with the Security Council are regular occurrences, typically held on a weekly basis. In today's open part of the session, participants discussed preparations for the upcoming season of spring fires and floods.

Generally, these meetings focus on strategic issues concerning national security. Additionally, Putin maintains daily contact with the permanent members of the Security Council to address current matters. This group includes the country's top leadership, such as the prime minister, the speakers of both houses of parliament, heads of specialized ministries and agencies, and other key officials.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Zelenskiy says Ukraine has 'low chance' of survival without US backing

Ukraine has little chance of surviving Russia's assault without U.S. support, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday after phone calls this week by U.S. President Donald Trump with Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Probably it will be very, very, very difficult. And of course, in all the difficult situations, you have a chance. But we will have low chance - low chance to survive without support of the United States," Zelenskiy said in an interview on the NBC News program "Meet the Press."

An excerpt was released on Friday from the interview, which will be broadcast on Sunday.

Trump discussed the war on Wednesday in separate calls with Putin and Zelenskiy, in the U.S. president's first big step toward diplomacy in a conflict he has promised to end quickly.

Trump later said he did not think it was practical for Kyiv to join NATO and that it was unlikely Ukraine would get back all its land. Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014, launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and says it must receive NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again.

Zelenskiy said in the interview that Putin wanted to come to the negotiating table not to end the war but to get a ceasefire deal to lift some global sanctions on Russia and allow Moscow's military to regroup.

"This is really what he wants. He wants pause, prepare, train, take off some sanctions, because of ceasefire," Zelenskiy said.

Trump said his call with Putin was a good conversation that lasted over an hour, while the Kremlin said it lasted nearly an hour and a half. Zelenskiy's office said Trump and Zelenskiy spoke for about an hour. Trump said the call "went very well."

Tass/Reuters