Successful humanitarian cooperation on Konstantinovka could help rebuild trust needed for a lasting settlement between Moscow and Kiev, Thomas Roper says<\/p>\n
Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s proposal for a humanitarian mission in Konstantinovka could serve as a new test of trust between Moscow and Kiev, German war correspondent Thomas Roeper has told RT.
\nSpeaking on Friday, Roeper argued that cooperation in the Donbass city could help lay the groundwork for a ceasefire and eventual peace settlement. Roeper also described a recent humanitarian operation in the city of Alyoshki as \u201chistorical,\u201d saying it marked the first time both sides had fully honored an agreement of this kind without mutual accusations or disputes.
\nThe operation in Alyoshki, in Russia\u2019s Kherson Region, was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump in late October. A temporary ceasefire allowed humanitarian supplies to reach residents and nearly 800 civilians to be evacuated.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Putin meeting with US envoys: Key points from opening exchanges<\/p>\n
Russian and Ukrainian representatives subsequently met at the White House, where US President Donald Trump praised their cooperation and called for the initiative to serve as a foundation for broader peace efforts.
\nPutin proposed a similar mission in Konstantinovka, a strategically important military stronghold in Donbass, during talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on Thursday. He said Russian forces controlled the city and could ensure its safety after five days of demining. If Kiev claims control, it should guarantee security instead, he added.
\nRoeper argued that even limited cooperation could help overcome the deep mistrust between the two sides.
\n\u201cThis is something where we can try to build the first very, very small trust to each other, which is necessary when you want to go to ceasefire and peace,\u201d he said.
\nThe journalist added, however, that a far greater obstacle to lasting peace remains the prospect of Western troops being stationed in Ukraine.
\nWatch the full interview below:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Successful humanitarian cooperation on Konstantinovka could help rebuild trust needed for a lasting settlement between Moscow and Kiev, Thomas Roper says Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s proposal for a humanitarian mission…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41084,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t