President Donald Trump is set to engage in a pivotal conversation on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding efforts to end the ongoing Ukraine war. Announcing the call via Truth Social on Saturday, Trump highlighted the urgent need to halt what he described as a “bloodbath” that is resulting in the deaths of over 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers each week.
This announcement follows a significant meeting between representatives from Ukraine and Russia in Turkey on Friday, marking the first direct talks between the two nations in three years. Trump has previously expressed skepticism about achieving any substantial progress in peace negotiations until he and Putin can speak directly. “I don’t believe anything is going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together,” Trump stated to reporters earlier this week.
Following his discussion with Putin, Trump has indicated plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and various members of NATO. Trump expressed optimism about the outcomes of his planned conversations, stating, “Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end.”
Ukraine, along with its European allies and the United States, has been urging Moscow to accept a US-backed 30-day ceasefire. However, Putin rejected this request and instead called for direct discussions last Thursday. Trump strongly encouraged Zelensky to accept the offer, although Zelensky stated he would only attend if Putin were present. Ultimately, the Russian delegation that attended was deemed “low-level” by Zelensky, and Putin himself did not show up for the talks.
Despite the initial setbacks, Ukraine and Russia managed to agree on a prisoner swap during these talks, marking a crucial development since their last meeting in 2022. Trump, while traveling in the Middle East, suggested that he did not expect Putin to attend the talks in Turkey without his presence, asserting, “Look, nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together, OK?”
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, reiterating the U.S. commitment to ending the conflict. According to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio welcomed the prisoner exchange agreement and emphasized the importance of Trump's peace plan, which calls for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence.
In a recent interview with Fox News, Trump expressed his frustration with others negotiating on behalf of the United States, emphasizing the necessity of his meeting with Putin. “He is at the table, and he wanted this meeting. And I always felt there can’t be a meeting without me,” Trump remarked. He acknowledged that he believes Putin is also weary of the ongoing conflict, stating, “He’s not looking good, and he wants to look good.”
This evolving situation underscores the complexity of international diplomacy and the urgent need for effective dialogue to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As the world watches closely, the upcoming call between Trump and Putin could prove to be a significant turning point in the pursuit of peace.
