President Trump is set to have an important phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, as tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
During the call, Trump plans to address the war with Putin and has also scheduled a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Ukrainian leaders.
Despite Trump’s commitment to ending the conflict, progress has been limited, largely because Putin has been resistant to making concessions. This has led to increasing frustration within the Trump administration regarding Putin’s position on the matter.
Many in the West believe that Putin is deliberately stalling Trump’s efforts. Recently, a lower-ranking Russian official represented Putin at a meeting in Türkiye, which some interpreted as an indication of disinterest in engaging seriously with Trump.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio left those discussions before knowing the rank of the officials sent from Moscow. He noted that continuing the dialogue between Trump and Putin was essential for advancing peace efforts.
Trump announced the upcoming call on Saturday through a social media post, emphasizing a desire to halt the “bloodbath” in Ukraine.
“Hopefully, it will be a productive day, and we’ll see a ceasefire. This brutal war never should have happened,” he commented.
Critics have accused Trump of being overly optimistic about the conflict involving Putin and Zelensky. This skepticism was intensified by a significant disagreement at the White House in February, which was widely covered by the media.
Since that event, Zelensky has expressed his gratitude for Trump’s endeavors, including a proposed deal concerning mineral rights between the U.S. and Ukraine, which might be seen as a way to financially support Ukraine amidst the war.
The U.S. has called for a 30-day ceasefire to the ongoing hostilities.
On Saturday, Rubio spoke with his Russian counterparts and suggested that the Vatican could serve as a potential venue for future peace talks aimed at ending the conflict.
