WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump aims to advance discussions towards a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, engaging with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelensky on Monday.
Over the weekend, Trump shared his optimism on social media for a “productive day” and the hope for a ceasefire, which involves reaching out to NATO leaders.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Trump and Putin will connect at 5 PM Eastern Time, describing the dialogue as “important” in light of last week’s conversations between civil servants from both Russia and Ukraine.
Trump faces a significant challenge in mitigating a conflict that erupted following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. These discussions pose a major test for him, particularly as he has previously asserted he could resolve the conflict swiftly upon returning to the White House.
“He feels a mixture of fatigue and irritation from both sides of the conflict,” White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt told reporters ahead of the call. “He has communicated clearly to both parties his desire for a peaceful resolution and a ceasefire as soon as possible.”
The Republican president is banking on his personal rapport with Putin as a potential means to ease tensions and halt hostilities.
“His instinct is to reach out to President Putin to clear up some obstacles and move towards a resolution,” said Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, expressing optimism about the upcoming conversation.
Trump’s Struggles Amid War
Nonetheless, there are concerns regarding Trump’s perceived affinity for Putin, which may disadvantage Ukraine in any agreements negotiated by the U.S. government.
Bridget Brink, who recently vacated her position as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, indicated that her decision was influenced by a meeting in February during which Trump and his team openly criticized Zelensky for not accommodating them enough.
“I don’t believe that peace is achievable at any cost,” Brink stated. “History shows us that yielding can often lead to more conflict.”
Trump’s dissatisfaction with the ongoing war was palpable even before he posted about the call on Saturday. He indicated that the discussion with Putin would focus on ceasing the “bloodshed” caused by the conflict, hinting at the possibility of using financial incentives to broker some form of agreement following Russia’s invasion and the consequent sanctions that have hampered Moscow’s economic prospects.
Talking to the Post, Trump expressed hope that “a war that should never have happened will come to an end.”
His Treasury Secretary, Scott Bescent, remarked on NBC that any failure by Putin to negotiate “in good faith” could prompt additional sanctions against Russia, as the initial sanctions implemented under President Biden were deemed inadequate in curtailing Russian oil revenues.
Discussions of a Ceasefire Amidst Prisoner Exchanges
Recently, Putin dismissed Zelensky’s proposal to meet in Turkey to discuss a 30-day ceasefire encouraged by western allies, including the U.S.
While talks concluded on Friday without a ceasefire, both nations committed to exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war, and Ukrainian media reported that exchanges could take place this week.
Wrapping up a four-day Middle Eastern trip, Trump commented that Putin did not attend the meeting in Turkey because he himself wasn’t there.
“He and I will meet, and I’m not sure if we can resolve it, but at least we’ll know more,” Trump told reporters as he boarded Air Force 1. “If nothing else, it will certainly be interesting.”
Zelensky has been engaging with Trump’s vice president JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and European leaders to bolster his efforts ahead of Monday’s discussions.
On social media platform X, he discussed the negotiations in Turkey while consulting American officials, mentioning that “the Russians sent a low-level delegation, lacking decisiveness.” He also emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to “real diplomacy” aimed at establishing a ceasefire.
“We touched on a range of issues including Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, and sanctions related to future prisoner exchanges,” Zelensky noted. “We need sustained pressure on Russia until they are compelled to cease hostilities.”
The German government reported that Prime Minister Friedrich Merz, along with French, British, and Italian leaders, discussed Trump and the situation in Ukraine late Sunday, with plans to continue the prisoner exchange talks shortly after Trump’s call with Putin.
In a statement on X regarding the conversation, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Putin “must demonstrate a genuine desire for peace by accepting the unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by President Trump, supported by Ukraine and Europe.”
This push for dialogue comes amid an unprecedented escalation from the Kremlin, which launched its most extensive drone attack against Ukraine since its full-scale invasion began, deploying 273 explosive drones and decoys targeting regions including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk.
Witkoff appeared on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, while Brink participated in CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
