Donald Trump to call Putin to push for Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Trump's remarks followed a failed Istanbul meeting between Russia, Ukraine, NATO and the US; he plans to speak to Putin, Zelenskyy and NATO leaders to seek a 30-day truce

US President Donald Trump said he would speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over a phone call in continuation of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine truce talks.

 

Trump described the move as an attempt to end the “bloodbath” of the war in Ukraine.

 

He mentioned that the call was scheduled for 10 am, though he did not clarify whether this referred to Eastern Daylight Time or a different time zone. He added that he would also speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and various NATO leaders.

 

Trump’s remarks came after a recent meeting in Istanbul, Turkiye, where officials from Russia, Ukraine, NATO and the US convened to pursue a ceasefire between the warring sides.

 

 

However, the meeting ended without concrete statements from either side. Ukraine later criticised Russia, alleging that it had sent “low-ranking” officials to the negotiation table in Istanbul.

 

Initially, Putin and Trump were expected to attend the Istanbul meeting in person to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, Trump later announced he would not be present, and Putin subsequently withdrew as well.

 

Russia ‘highly values’ US efforts for ceasefire 

According to NBC News, Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia “highly values” and is “grateful to the American side.” During a press briefing, he noted that if the US is able to “help to achieve our goals through peaceful means, then this is indeed preferable.”

 

Asked about the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin—a scenario raised by the US president on Friday—Peskov responded, “It will largely depend on what they themselves decide.” He added that the meeting “needs to be worked out” by the two leaders in terms of timing and other arrangements.

 

Global powers push for truce 

In the lead-up to the anticipated Trump-Putin call, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy held discussions with Trump on Sunday. According to a statement from the British government, they urged “Putin to take peace talks seriously.”

 

The statement further noted that the leaders “also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks”—a measure the American president had previously warned about.

 

“Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X.