GOLDEN TOUCH
Trump hints he will join Zelensky & Putin for historic talks to finally end Ukraine war in Turkey in just DAYS
The rendezvous would mark the first time the three leaders had all met together
DONALD Trump suggested he could join Zelensky and Putin for historic face-to-face talks to end the war in Ukraine on Thursday.
Zelensky challenged Putin to meet him in person in Istanbul, Turkey - but it is not yet clear whether the Russian will show.
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Trump said on Monday afternoon: "You may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey [...] and I believe the two leaders are going to be there.
"I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I am going be on Thursday, I’ve got so many meetings [...] There’s a possibility there I guess if I think things can happen.”
The president also said he has "a feeling [Zelensky and Putin] are going to agree".
Responding to Trump's suggestion, Zelensky said: "Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea. We can change a lot."
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He added: "I will be in Turkey. I hope that the Russians will not evade the meeting."
Any meeting would come in the wake of an stern, unified warning to Putin from the leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Ukraine to sign a 30-day ceasefire agreement or face crippling sanctions.
Meanwhile, Putin unleashed a barrage of 100 drones at Ukraine as Volodymyr Zelensky overnight.
Even as peace talks are being orchestrated - Russia launched a total of 108 Shahed attack drones and other types of drones at Ukraine - the same number as a day earlier.
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Kyiv shot down some 55 Russian drones, with 30 more lost, the Ukrainian military said.
Three major waves of kamikaze drones were reported across a wide number of regions in northern and eastern Ukraine including Kherson, Odessa, and Zaporizhzhia.
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Ukraine's Air Force Command said: “The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.
“Thirty enemy drone simulators were lost…without negative consequences.
“As a result of the enemy attack, the Odessa, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Zhytomyr regions suffered.”
It is the second day since a supposed 72-hour ceasefire finished that Putin has attacked.
The pause had been instituted for Russia's WW2 Victory Day commemorations on May 8, before it finished at the end of the day on May 11.
Ukraine has also reportedly attacked Russia - using the long range HIMARS to strike the town of Rylsk where the local governor said a hotel was destroyed.
It comes leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv on Saturday and met with Zelensky.
The group endorsed Donald Trump's demand for an immediate 30-day ceasefire across land, sea, and air.
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Sunday's attack came just after a 1am Moscow press conference where Putin dramatically rejected a month-long ceasefire but insisted Russia was ready to resume direct peace talks in Istanbul on Thursday.
Zelensky wants an immediate pause in fighting saying “we expect a ceasefire from [Monday] – complete and lasting, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy.
"There is no point in prolonging the killings."
On Sunday Zelensky called Putin's bluff and said he would travel to Istanbul for a face-to-face meeting - but Putin is yet to reveal whether he will travel or meet directly with his arch rival.
The tyrant wants peace on his terms and is yet to give up on his horror demands to dismember Ukraine and install a puppet government.
Putin has called for peace talks, but to only get what he wants.
On Saturday he claimed he was serious about the talks, despite his bombs still falling on Ukraine.
He said: "We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine.
"We do not rule out that during these negotiations it will be possible to agree on some new truces, a new ceasefire."
Trump has put pressure on Zelensky to meet with Putin - even though the Russian leader refused to agree to a ceasefire.
He said: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH.
“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.
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“At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!
“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”
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