Trump’s Upcoming Calls with Russian and Ukrainian Leaders

US President Donald Trump is set to speak with leaders from Russia and Ukraine on Monday. The Kremlin has confirmed that the discussions will take place at 10am local time.

These talks, involving Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, aim to address the ongoing violence of the Ukrainian war. The calls, previously mentioned by Trump, are focused on halting what he described as the “blood bath,” which sees over 5,000 soldiers from both Russia and Ukraine losing their lives weekly, along with discussions on trade.

Trump expressed optimism, referring to the day as “[productive]” and hoping it leads to a ceasefire and an end to hostilities.

The first call is expected to emphasize discussions between the US and Russia. This morning, the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, announced the timing of the call, linking it to recent in-person negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. These meetings, which occurred last week, were the first direct talks in over three years. However, expectations were lowered as no significant progress was made, apart from an agreement on prisoner exchanges.

Peskov stated that the conversation is crucial, especially in light of the Istanbul negotiations, and indicated that he would provide relevant information based on the outcome of today’s discussions.

The US and Russia have engaged in high-level discussions about the outcomes of last week’s talks between the two countries. Reports indicate that the calls involved exchanges on various points raised during those discussions.

The UK government mentioned on Monday that it had already communicated Trump’s views to Putin and discussed the upcoming call with its officials.

Previously, Trump has suggested imposing further sanctions on Russia, aiming to impact its struggling oil economy. He commented, “I have a very good relationship with Putin. I believe we can do business together. I’m tired of just meeting with others and not having direct talks, so I think we should probably arrange something.”

In advance of the call regarding the ongoing conflict, Zelensky has reportedly sent Trump a proposal aimed at enhancing cooperation in the defense and trade sectors.

Last week marked a significant moment, as Ukraine and Russia convened for their first in-person discussions in three years. Both sides claimed that the other was making unreasonable demands, including Russia’s assertion of withdrawing from annexed areas in exchange for peace.