The President of the United States reported a conversation with Putin during which they discussed the war against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Ukraine is joining security initiatives in the region, sending experts and technology to American bases to counter Iranian drones. At the same time, the escalation around Iran is reshaping the international agenda regarding the war in Ukraine, which is already affecting negotiations with Russia and the supply of weapons from the United States.
Trump called the conversation with Putin “positive” and mentioned the war against Ukraine
US President Donald Trump saidhe had a “very good” phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He said this while speaking with journalists in Florida. According to the American president, representatives from both sides participated in the call. One of the key topics discussed was the war against Ukraine.
“I had a very good conversation with President Putin. Many people joined the call from both our side and theirs. We talked about Ukraine, which is fighting an endless battle. There is tremendous hatred between Putin and Zelensky. They cannot reach an agreement, but overall the conversation on this topic was positive,” Trump said.
He added that the situation in the Middle East was also raised during the conversation. “Putin wants to be helpful. I said he could be more helpful by ending the Ukraine-Russia war,” the U.S. president noted.
Ukraine sent drones and experts to protect U.S. bases in Jordan
Ukraine has sent interceptor drones and a team of experts to help protect American military bases in Jordan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with The New York Times.According to him, the United States asked Kyiv for assistance on March 5. The Ukrainian team departed for the Middle East the very next day.
“We responded immediately. I said: yes, of course, we will send our experts,” Zelensky said.
The president also reported that after the start of the U.S. and Israeli operation against Iran, the leaders of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia also asked Ukraine for assistance. According to Zelensky, another group of Ukrainian specialists may travel to the region to help assess options for defending against Iranian drones without using expensive Patriot systems.
“I said: listen, maybe they can talk with the Russians and the Russians will pause. In that case, of course, we can help the Middle East defend itself,” Zelensky said.
Trump announced partial lifting of oil sanctions
US President Donald Trump saidplans to lift some sanctions related to the oil sector. According to him, the decision is intended to help lower energy prices, which have risen amid the U.S.–Israeli operation against Iran. He said this on March 9 while speaking with journalists. At the same time, the American president did not specify which countries might see restrictions eased.
“We are also lifting certain oil-related sanctions to bring prices down. We have sanctions against certain countries, so we will remove them until the situation settles down. And then who knows, maybe we won’t bring them back,” Trump said.
The U.S. president also added that, if necessary, the U.S. Navy together with partners could escort tankers through the strait. At the same time, Trump expressed hope that such a step would not be necessary.
Negotiations between Ukraine, the United States and Russia postponed due to events in the Middle East
A meeting planned for this week between Ukraine, the United States and Russia as part of negotiations to end the war has been postponed. This was reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to him, the reason was the U.S. and Israeli military operation against Iran, which shifted the attention of international partners.
“Right now our partners’ priority and all attention are focused on the situation around Iran, and because of this the meeting that was planned for this week at the initiative of the American side is being postponed. But Ukraine is ready for a meeting at any moment in a format that could help and would be realistic from the point of view of ending the war,” the president said.
Zelensky noted that communication between the Ukrainian and American sides continues constantly. He also said he had instructed his team to once again confirm Ukraine’s readiness for strategic cooperation with partners, particularly in the field of protection against strike drones. The president also stated that Russia is trying to use the situation in the Middle East to advance its aggression.
Poland warned of possible delays in U.S. weapons deliveries
In Poland, officials do not rule out that the conflict in the Middle East could affect the timeline for deliveries of American weapons. This was said by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a press conference in Warsaw. According to him, Poland is expecting large quantities of military equipment purchased from the United States. At the same time, Warsaw is monitoring whether the current situation could affect the pace of contract implementation.
The minister explained that the defense industry, particularly the American one, may focus on replenishing equipment used in ongoing operations. This concerns resources being spent by the United States itself and by countries of the Persian Gulf.
“We have a lot of American equipment under contract. We are waiting for it and are also monitoring whether there will be delays related to what is happening in the Middle East. If this conflict drags on, then unfortunately such a risk exists,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. He added that the Polish side continues to monitor developments.
Photo: Tyler Hicks / The New York Times
Author: Danylo Pievchev