Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he’ll speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, hoping to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump, posting on Truth Social, said the conversation is scheduled for 10:00 EDT and will be followed by calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of NATO nations.
“I hope it will be a productive day. A ceasefire would be a blessing. This war should never have happened,” Trump wrote.
The announcement comes just days after Russia and Ukraine met face-to-face for the first time in three years in Istanbul. While the talks didn’t lead to a major breakthrough, both sides did agree on a prisoner swap. Trump had offered to attend those talks in person, but only if Putin showed up too—something the Russian leader declined.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, preparations are indeed underway for the Trump-Putin call. The two men have discussed the conflict before, but this time Trump appears to be positioning himself as a potential peace broker.
European leaders have also been pushing for a 30-day ceasefire. However, negotiations remain strained. After the Istanbul meeting, Ukraine accused Russia of making “unacceptable” demands, including insisting Kyiv withdraw from parts of its own territory in exchange for a ceasefire.
Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, described the meeting as constructive and signaled a willingness to continue dialogue.
But hope for peace took a hit just hours later. A Russian drone strike on a passenger bus in Ukraine’s Sumy region killed nine civilians. President Zelensky condemned the attack as “a deliberate killing of civilians,” and urged Western allies to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. Russian state media claimed the strike targeted a “military staging area,” but provided no proof.
Despite the violence, Trump is forging ahead with his diplomatic efforts. His outreach—though unconventional—marks a rare moment of direct engagement between U.S. and Russian leadership on the battlefield realities in Ukraine.
Whether it leads to lasting peace remains uncertain.