U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in a high-profile phone call aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Scheduled for 10:00 a.m. EDT (14:00 GMT), the call is expected to focus on achieving a ceasefire and discussing a possible in-person summit between the two leaders.
The conversation comes days after long-stalled direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia resumed in Istanbul on Friday. While the talks did not produce a ceasefire, the two sides agreed to a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees — their first significant accord since 2022.
“Buoyantly it will be a fruitful day, a truce will take place, and this very fierce war — a war that should have never take place — will end,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian media that the call is being prepared, telling TASS news agency, “The conversation is in the works.” This will be the second known call between Trump and Putin focused on the Ukraine conflict since Trump returned to the White House.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes real progress toward peace is only possible through direct engagement with Putin. “Nothing’s going to occur til Putin and I get together,” he told Fox News on Friday. Trump had offered to join the Istanbul peace talks if Putin attended as well, but the Russian leader declined.
Following his call with Putin, Trump plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several NATO leaders, according to White House officials. The goal, sources say, is to build international support for a Trump-led ceasefire framework that could serve as the basis for broader peace negotiations.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also talked with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Rubio expressed support for the prisoner swap and relayed Trump’s call for an immediate halt to hostilities. The State Department said Moscow welcomed Washington’s diplomatic involvement but offered no details on further agreements.
In the meantime, European countries have continued pushing for Putin to agree a month long truce. So far, Moscow has resisted those proposals, preferring direct negotiations. Trump has urged Zelensky to engage in those talks despite frustrations over Russia sending what Kyiv viewed as a low-level delegation.
Trump’s push to mediate the conflict is being watched closely both in Washington and across Europe. While some view his engagement as a possible breakthrough moment, others remain skeptical of his ability to balance diplomacy between two bitterly opposed sides.
With casualties mounting — reportedly over 5,000 soldiers a week — pressure is building for a diplomatic solution. Whether Monday’s call will lead to a ceasefire or simply more posturing remains to be seen.
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in a high-profile phone call aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Scheduled for 10:00 a.m. EDT (14:00 GMT), the call is expected to focus on achieving a ceasefire and discussing a possible in-person summit between the two leaders.
The conversation comes days after long-stalled direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia resumed in Istanbul on Friday. While the talks did not produce a ceasefire, the two sides agreed to a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees — their first significant accord since 2022.
“Buoyantly it will be a fruitful day, a truce will take place, and this very fierce war — a war that should have never take place — will end,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian media that the call is being prepared, telling TASS news agency, “The conversation is in the works.” This will be the second known call between Trump and Putin focused on the Ukraine conflict since Trump returned to the White House.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes real progress toward peace is only possible through direct engagement with Putin. “Nothing’s going to occur til Putin and I get together,” he told Fox News on Friday. Trump had offered to join the Istanbul peace talks if Putin attended as well, but the Russian leader declined.
Following his call with Putin, Trump plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several NATO leaders, according to White House officials. The goal, sources say, is to build international support for a Trump-led ceasefire framework that could serve as the basis for broader peace negotiations.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also talked with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Rubio expressed support for the prisoner swap and relayed Trump’s call for an immediate halt to hostilities. The State Department said Moscow welcomed Washington’s diplomatic involvement but offered no details on further agreements.
In the meantime, European countries have continued pushing for Putin to agree a month long truce. So far, Moscow has resisted those proposals, preferring direct negotiations. Trump has urged Zelensky to engage in those talks despite frustrations over Russia sending what Kyiv viewed as a low-level delegation.
Trump’s push to mediate the conflict is being watched closely both in Washington and across Europe. While some view his engagement as a possible breakthrough moment, others remain skeptical of his ability to balance diplomacy between two bitterly opposed sides.
With casualties mounting — reportedly over 5,000 soldiers a week — pressure is building for a diplomatic solution. Whether Monday’s call will lead to a ceasefire or simply more posturing remains to be seen.
