Grigori Karasin, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council's International Affairs Committee, commented on remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that the conflict in Ukraine would soon end.
Karasin said Trump's remarks could be welcomed positively only if they were backed by a genuine scenario that was being worked on. The senator said the remarks most likely demonstrated Trump's intention to help resolve the Ukraine crisis.
Speaking in Moscow on October 7, Karasin recalled that Trump had not made such remarks for the first time. He stressed that serious and substantive negotiations were needed to put the statements into practice.

The senator said he hoped an approach that would bring about a fair end to the Ukraine crisis and lead to a positive future would prevail. Karasin assessed that Trump's remarks could contribute to this goal.
Trump had previously said that the conflict in Ukraine would soon end and that he would continue working toward a solution.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had also stated that they wanted the fighting in Ukraine to end as soon as possible through a peaceful settlement. Putin said Moscow was ready for negotiations but did not see any willingness to pursue them from the leadership in Kyiv.