Putin says US is making sincere efforts to end the war

During a meeting with top Russian officials ahead of Friday’s summit in Alaska with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the United States is taking steps to end the war in Ukraine. Putin chaired a meeting that included members of the negotiating team joining him at the summit, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, to inform them about ‘how the negotiation process on the Ukrainian crisis is progressing’. ‘The current American government… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to end hostilities, end the crisis, and reach agreements that are in the interest of all parties involved in this conflict,’ Putin said. Putin also said that peace between Russia and the US – as well as the world at large – would be strengthened if the two countries reach agreements in the area of strategic offensive arms control.