Fmr Amb. to Ukraine to Newsmax: Trump Will Play Vital Role in Russia-Ukraine Talks

An agreement reached between Russia and Ukraine during their first direct peace talks since 2022 to conduct a large-scale prisoner swap is a "good move," but it will take direct negotiations between the countries' leaders and President Donald Trump to reach peace, William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, tells Newsmax.

"They've had a series of these prisoner swaps over time, but this is the largest, and that's a good sign," Taylor said on "Newsline" Friday. "One thousand for 1,000, that's a lot of soldiers being reunited with their families."

Still, for a ceasefire, there will need to be direct negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Trump "is going to be an important part of that," said Taylor.

The Ukrainians have asked for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, and Trump is willing to meet with Putin, he added, so they could meet in the middle for a three-way conversation.

The Trump administration has made it clear that its top foreign policy priority is the Russia-Ukraine War, so Trump does have the leverage to push for a ceasefire, Taylor said.

"He's demonstrated that in the Middle East," he said. "He's demonstrated that to Putin. Putin has been the obstacle here, let's be clear. I think President Trump is recognizing that President Putin has been the one who has been holding up this top priority for this administration."

Taylor pointed out that Trump and Zelenskyy agreed on a ceasefire over a month ago, but it was Putin who rejected the plan.

"That's been the pattern," he said. "The Americans and the Ukrainians have been in agreement, and the Russians said no. So this is where President Trump can use the leverage that he has."

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