Trump to Call Putin Monday in Bid to End Ukraine ‘Bloodbath’
US President Donald Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, part of what he called a renewed push to end the war in Ukraine.
As per AFP, the announcement follows last week’s direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul- the first in nearly three years. Those negotiations ended without agreement on a ceasefire, with both sides trading barbs. Ukraine accused Moscow of sending a “dummy” delegation of low-ranking officials.
Following the talks, Trump said he would hold phone calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as NATO leaders, expressing hope that “a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war… will end.”
He described the ongoing war, triggered by Moscow’s 2022 invasion, as a “bloodbath” that has devastated Ukraine and displaced millions.
While Trump has shown restraint in criticizing Putin, both the Kremlin and White House have indicated for months that a direct Trump-Putin dialogue could be a turning point in efforts to resolve the conflict.
Trump previously argued that “nothing’s going to happen” regarding peace until he and Putin meet in person.
At the Istanbul talks – also attended by US officials – Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each and explore ideas for a truce. However, no concrete commitments were made.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s delegation, said that “the next step” should be a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Russia responded by saying it had “taken note” of the request but insisted any such summit could only take place if the sides made progress and reached an agreement.
“We consider it possible, but only as a result of the work and upon achieving certain results in the form of an agreement between the two sides,” said a Kremlin spokesperson.
Western leaders have criticized Russia’s lack of commitment to peace and floated new sanctions should it continue to stall.
On Sunday, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy held a joint phone call with Trump ahead of his planned conversation with Putin.
“Looking ahead to President Trump’s call with President Putin tomorrow, the leaders discussed the need for an unconditional ceasefire and for President Putin to take peace talks seriously,” said a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“They also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks,” the spokesperson added.
Zelensky also met with US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday at the Vatican, after Pope Leo’s inaugural mass, to discuss next steps and possible sanctions against Russia.
“We discussed the talks in Istanbul, where the Russians sent a low-level delegation with no decision-making powers,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. “We also touched on the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defence cooperation, the situation on the battlefield and the future exchange of prisoners.”
A senior official in Zelensky’s office said that Monday’s Trump-Putin call was among the topics discussed, as per AFP.
Meanwhile, in an interview aired on Russian state TV Sunday, Putin reiterated Moscow’s long-standing position without offering specifics: “Our aim is to eliminate the causes that triggered this crisis, create the conditions for a lasting peace and guarantee Russia’s security.”
Russia’s references to “root causes” typically include demands to “de-Nazify” and demilitarize Ukraine, protect Russian speakers in the east, halt NATO expansion, and stop Ukraine’s westward drift.
Source: Kyiv Post