WASHINGTON DC: US President Donald Trump announced he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Monday in an effort to help end the conflict in Ukraine, referring to the discussion as an attempt to stop the “bloodbath.”
In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump stated the call is scheduled for 10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT), after which he intends to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from several NATO countries.
Last Friday, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul, but no major progress was made, aside from agreeing to a prisoner exchange.
Trump had offered to join the talks in Turkey, provided Putin also attended, but the Russian president declined the invitation.
These remarks come after Trump suggested that real progress toward peace could only be achieved through a direct meeting between him and Putin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Russian media that a call between Putin and Trump is being arranged for Monday. The two leaders have previously spoken by phone regarding the war.
“The conversation is being prepared,” Peskov told the Tass news agency.
On Truth Social, Trump expressed hope for the talks, saying: “Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end.”
(Source: BBC)
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