Trump to Discuss Ukraine War with Putin on Monday
WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to explore ways to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine. This comes just a few days after the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years in Istanbul.
Trump had suggested traveling to Turkey for these discussions if Putin would join him, but the Russian leader declined the offer.
In his statement, Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling on both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to a ceasefire in the war that has been ongoing for three years. He shared details about the scheduled call on his platform, Truth Social, noting it will take place at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (1400 GMT).
He stated, “The subjects of the call will be, stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is resulting in the deaths of over 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers each week, along with discussions on trade.”
Adding to the urgency, Ukraine reported that a recent Russian attack claimed the lives of nine people, occurring just hours after the peace talks in Istanbul.
Trump expressed hope that his discussions with Putin, followed by conversations with Zelenskyy and NATO leaders, will lead to a productive outcome. He stated, “I hope this day leads to a ceasefire, and that this violent conflict, which should never have occurred, comes to an end.”
However, it seems Russia is not ready to make any compromises in the conflict. During the Istanbul talks, Russian representatives reportedly insisted that Ukraine withdraw its troops from all regions claimed by Moscow before they would agree to a ceasefire, according to a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the negotiations.
