Putin says chance of peace deal made harder by Ukrainian aviation warning — SkimNews
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- Putin said at an economic forum in Russia's far east there is a chance of reaching a peace agreement, noting the U.S. and China were among countries ready to support a settlement but insisting Russia and Ukraine themselves must resolve the conflict.
- Zelensky announced in his nightly video address that U.S. negotiators would visit both Kyiv and Moscow in coming days, saying it was 'very important that America continues to be active' — the negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, last visited Moscow in January and have not yet been to Kyiv.
- Putin labeled Ukrainian attacks on civilian merchant ships and reported threats against civilian aircraft 'acts of state terrorism' that 'complicate the prospects for bilateral peace talks,' even as he confirmed contacts were continuing through intelligence channels.
- Zelensky warned airlines and insurance companies this week that Ukrainian drones had made Russian skies dangerous, and Ukraine urged the U.N.'s aviation agency to ask members to ban operations in Russian airspace, where Ukraine has been shut out of international civil aviation since 2022.
- Trump told GB News he wanted to see the war end, saying 'I just want to see that end. I think we'll get it,' and told reporters a day earlier he wanted a summit with Putin when the Kremlin leader is ready for a deal.
- Chicago wheat futures dropped more than 2% on Putin's peace-talk comments, with the source noting sea hostilities between Russia and Ukraine have pushed up global grain prices since U.S.-mediated talks broke off in February.
Why it matters: Chicago wheat futures fell more than 2% on Putin's comments, showing traders read even cautious optimism as material — but Putin's simultaneous framing of Ukraine's aviation warning as 'state terrorism' reveals he is publicly blaming Kyiv for the very obstacle he claims to want removed, which is the contradiction Zelensky will have to navigate when U.S. envoys arrive.
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