War in Ukraine: Trump predicts 'very big' deal with Russia that 'could encompass all of Europe'

Donald Trump predicted Thursday, in mysterious terms, an upcoming “very big” agreement with Russia on Ukraine and added that the agreement in question “could encompass all of Europe”. The American president, during an exchange with journalists, also indicated that he had met Kirill Dmitriev, the emissary of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, invited by first lady Melania Trump on Thursday at the White House.

He added that, however, he had not had a meeting with the Ukrainian delegation which had also been invited by his wife, for an event celebrating the ceasefire that she supervised in Olechky.

“It will be a big deal and it will concern more than just Ukraine. It will be very big. It will encompass more than Ukraine and I would even say it could encompass all of Europe,” Donald Trump said. “It will be a great and magnificent agreement and everyone will be delighted,” he assured.

A meeting between Trump and Putin?

Talks between Russians and Ukrainians are to take place on November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi under American mediation to try to find a solution to the conflict. Donald Trump recently moved closer to Moscow by concluding an agreement on deliveries of Russian diesel and exempting Russia from new sanctions on its energy sector.

His remarks on Thursday will undoubtedly raise questions in several European countries, militarily linked to the United States within NATO. After the resounding Democratic victory in the mid-term elections in the United States, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said she hoped that the next American Congress, which will sit from January, would exert “more pressure on Russia”.

Moscow, for its part, stressed that Donald Trump remained “in office”. “We sincerely hope that he will also continue his efforts for peace,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The American president could meet Vladimir Putin as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping during his next trip to China in a little less than two weeks for an economic summit, that of Apec.