James Menendez

As for Ukraine, they too have red lines, as set out by Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian parliament, in an interview with the BBC.

As for Ukraine, they too have red lines, as set out by Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian parliament, in an interview with the BBC.

So much now depends on the call between the two leaders. Will Mr Putin dig in or give ground? Will Mr Trump threaten consequences or offer concessions? For the people here in Ukraine, much will be at stake.

So much now depends on the call between the two leaders. Will Mr Putin dig in or give ground? Will Mr Trump threaten consequences or offer concessions? For the people here in Ukraine, much will be at stake.

I think the way it's being portrayed, I think, by diplomats is that this will be a conversation designed not to sign off any deal, but to maintain momentum and maintain US pressure on the Russian side. If you think about it, Donald Trump has not spoken to Vladimir Putin for just over a month now. But since then, in the last few days, there's been quite a flurry of diplomacy.

I think the way it's being portrayed, I think, by diplomats is that this will be a conversation designed not to sign off any deal, but to maintain momentum and maintain US pressure on the Russian side. If you think about it, Donald Trump has not spoken to Vladimir Putin for just over a month now. But since then, in the last few days, there's been quite a flurry of diplomacy.

President Trump's envoy spoke to Mr Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Russian diplomats have been contacting their counterparts over the weekend. And at the moment, the Americans are putting up a sort of determinedly, resolutely positive signals about the prospects of getting a ceasefire deal. But As far as we know, the Russians are still sticking hard to their guns.

President Trump's envoy spoke to Mr Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Russian diplomats have been contacting their counterparts over the weekend. And at the moment, the Americans are putting up a sort of determinedly, resolutely positive signals about the prospects of getting a ceasefire deal. But As far as we know, the Russians are still sticking hard to their guns.

This morning, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grishko, was very clear in saying that, you know, as part of a deal, they want Ukraine to be utterly neutral and completely outside of the NATO military alliance. Well, you know, neutrality is something that Ukraine has made very clear they are not going to accept. So at the moment...

This morning, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grishko, was very clear in saying that, you know, as part of a deal, they want Ukraine to be utterly neutral and completely outside of the NATO military alliance. Well, you know, neutrality is something that Ukraine has made very clear they are not going to accept. So at the moment...

There is still a tension and a disagreement between the Americans who are saying, let's have a fast, quick ceasefire and then talk about the difficult stuff long term, and the Russians who are saying, no, we need to talk about all the difficult stuff in the round.

There is still a tension and a disagreement between the Americans who are saying, let's have a fast, quick ceasefire and then talk about the difficult stuff long term, and the Russians who are saying, no, we need to talk about all the difficult stuff in the round.

I think, yeah, their view is, it's not so much that it's a sham, but at the moment that it's going to be very, very hard to get a deal agreed. Because at the moment, if you think about it, Vladimir Putin has failed in his war aims. His war aims were to achieve a Ukraine that was subordinate to Russia. He's failed to do that.

I think, yeah, their view is, it's not so much that it's a sham, but at the moment that it's going to be very, very hard to get a deal agreed. Because at the moment, if you think about it, Vladimir Putin has failed in his war aims. His war aims were to achieve a Ukraine that was subordinate to Russia. He's failed to do that.

Yes, he's taken some land in the east, but it's pretty marginal incremental gains. And so the Americans are trying to say to him, look, you know, the only way you're going to treat some of your aims is by diplomatic political means. That means a ceasefire. So you've got to start talking.

Yes, he's taken some land in the east, but it's pretty marginal incremental gains. And so the Americans are trying to say to him, look, you know, the only way you're going to treat some of your aims is by diplomatic political means. That means a ceasefire. So you've got to start talking.

But at the moment, Vladimir Putin, last week in his press conference with the Belarusian leader, made it very clear that he has substantial differences of views. detail and also of substance that he says should be discussed in painstaking discussions before any agreement can be made over any kind of short-term ceasefire.

But at the moment, Vladimir Putin, last week in his press conference with the Belarusian leader, made it very clear that he has substantial differences of views. detail and also of substance that he says should be discussed in painstaking discussions before any agreement can be made over any kind of short-term ceasefire.

And so that means that the Russians and the Americans are still some way apart. It will take concessions by both sides to get them closer.

And so that means that the Russians and the Americans are still some way apart. It will take concessions by both sides to get them closer.