US President Donald Trump said that both Russia and Ukraine are looking to reach an agreement to end the conflict, and said that Russia should leaning towards a more peaceful solution after oil prices have recently plummeted.
"I think with the current decline in oil prices, we are in a favorable position to reach an agreement. Russia wants to solve it, Ukraine wants to solve it," Donald Trump told reporters at the Trump Department on May 5.
Oil prices have fallen about $15 a barrel since the start of the year. According to Reuters sources, OPEC+ will accelerate the increase in oil production.
"We have made a lot of progress and there is a possibility of a breakthrough. Hopefully that will happen," Donald Trump added.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict that broke out in February 2022 is one of the largest conflicts in Europe since World War II and the largest confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly affirmed his desire to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a 3-day ceasefire to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over socialist Germany in World War II.
"As you know, President Putin has just announced a 3-day ceasefire, it may not seem like much, but it is a big step forward if you look back at the starting point. This is a conflict that should not have happened," Trump said.
Also on May 5, when asked about the possibility of a meeting between President Trump and President Putin in Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin said that the meeting was necessary but Mr. Putin did not plan to go to the Middle East in mid-May.
Previously, President Trump said he could go to Saudi Arabia as early as this May.
According to Reuters, the reporter also asked President Trump whether he would issue an investigation order into the Nord Stream gas pipeline attack.
In September 2022, the multibillion-dollar gas pipeline project in the Baltic Sea, which carries gas from Russia to Germany, was attacked.
If I asked a few specific people, I could know immediately who was doing it, without having to waste money on the investigation. I think many people know the culprit, Trump said.
The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have reported that Ukraine is behind the Nord Stream incident. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the sabotage.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Western countries, including the US and UK, of being involved in the Nord Stream attack but has not yet provided specific evidence.
