Trump hopes Russia, Ukraine will make a deal this week

U.S. President Donald Trump said he hopes Russia and Ukraine will make a peace deal this week and join the U.S to "do big business", while the Kremlin says Russia will not extend the 30-hour Easter truce, with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of breaching the ceasefire deal.

Lee Seung-jae reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media on Sunday, to express hope that Russia and Ukraine will be able to secure a peace deal this week.

According to the U.S. president, if both countries are able to strike a peace deal, they will be able to "do big business with the United States," which he says is "thriving, and make a fortune."

Trump's comments come despite his threat to pull U.S. support from the peace process if either Moscow or Kyiv stalls negotiation talks.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the U.S. and Ukraine both called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend his 30-hour 'Easter truce,' and impose a 30-day ceasefire with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposing that Russia abandon drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days.

However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin gave no such order, and the ceasefire came to an end at midnight Monday.

Zelensky accused Russia of violating the Easter truce over two thousand times, while Russia's defense ministry alleged that Kyiv had broken the truce more than one thousand times.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.