Zelensky sees opportunity to ease tensions with Russia in winter: Putin doesn't want to anger Trump

Zelensky sees opportunity to ease tensions with Russia in winter: Putin doesn't want to anger Trump News Express newspaper Russia has reportedly conveyed to US President Donald Trump's envoys the message that it is ready to resume negotiations on the issue of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios, seeing a possible "de-escalation" in the winter. "Russian President Vladimir Putin needs Trump and does not want to anger him, especially given the midterm presidential elections in the US in early November," the Ukrainian president claimed. Thus, the Kremlin seemed "ready to discuss," he added, referring to what he was told by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who traveled to Moscow and Kiev to meet with the two presidents over the weekend. Among Washington's demands to facilitate the peace process is a possible "de-escalation" of hostilities before or during winter, according to Axios. Areas such as "energy, grain, electricity, oil and gas" are being discussed, according to Zelensky. Infrastructure in various sectors has been the target of increasing attacks from one side to the other in recent months. Every winter, Russian forces intensify their attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, plunging much of the population into cold and darkness. More recently, they have also targeted shipping traffic in the Black Sea, through which most of Ukraine's grain is exported. On the other hand, Kiev's forces have increased their attacks on oil and gas refineries and terminals since the beginning of the year, causing fuel shortages and complicating Russian hydrocarbon exports. /Panorama