President Donald Trump is set to engage in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, focusing on efforts to halt the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This conversation, scheduled for 10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT), aims to address the pressing issue of ending the hostilities and reducing the violence in the region. Following this, President Trump plans to communicate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from several NATO countries.
Recent diplomatic efforts between Russia and Ukraine, conducted in Istanbul, marked the first direct talks in three years. Although these discussions did not result in significant breakthroughs, the two nations agreed on a prisoner exchange. President Trump had previously expressed willingness to participate in the Istanbul talks, contingent on President Putin’s attendance, which did not occur.
Trump’s upcoming call with Putin follows his earlier remarks suggesting that tangible progress towards ending the war could only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two leaders. The President expressed hope that these conversations would lead to a ceasefire and ultimately bring an end to what has been a devastating and unnecessary conflict.
NATO officials continue to advocate for Russia to implement a 30-day ceasefire. After the Istanbul talks, Ukraine reiterated its demand for a comprehensive and unconditional cessation of hostilities. Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Putin and head of the Russian delegation, conveyed satisfaction with the recent dialogues and a readiness to maintain diplomatic engagement.
However, the conflict’s harsh realities persist, as demonstrated by a recent incident involving a Russian drone attack on a passenger bus in Ukraine’s Sumy region, resulting in nine civilian fatalities. This event has led President Zelensky to call for more stringent sanctions against Russia. While there has been no official comment from Russia regarding this attack, state media indicated that military forces targeted an alleged “military staging area” in the region.
The conflict traces back to February 2022, when Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking the start of the ongoing turmoil.
