Trump and Putin Talk About Ending Ukraine War, But Big Questions Remain
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on Tuesday to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.
The White House said the conversation was going well. Trump is trying to get Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire as a step toward ending the three-year conflict. This update comes from Reuters, which has been closely following the situation.
A White House official, Dan Scavino, said the call began at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) and was still going on. Reuters reported that the Kremlin had not yet made any public comments about the discussion.
What’s Happening with the Ceasefire?
Ukraine has already agreed to stop fighting, according to Reuters. The war has been the biggest in Europe since World War Two, killing or injuring hundreds of thousands of people and destroying entire towns. While Putin previously said he is open to a 30-day truce, he still wants certain conditions met before making any final decisions.
Trump hopes this ceasefire will lead to a permanent peace deal. According to Reuters, he has hinted that Ukraine might have to give up some land, including control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, to end the war. Trump posted on social media that the war must end because 2,500 soldiers are dying every week from both sides.
Before the call, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Reuters that Putin and Trump already had “some understanding” from a previous phone call on February 12. However, there are still many unresolved issues about peace and U.S.-Russia relations.
Is Ukraine Willing to Compromise?
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has made it clear that his country’s independence is not up for negotiation. Reuters reported that he has repeatedly said Russia must return all the land it has taken. Ukraine and its allies believe Russia’s invasion is an attempt to expand its power. They also worry that if Russia is allowed to keep Ukrainian land, Putin will continue trying to take more.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Tuesday, according to Reuters, that Russia has been increasing its military production, possibly preparing for future conflicts with other European countries.
Russia’s Demands and Trump’s Approach
Russia took Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and now controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory after its 2022 invasion. Reuters reported that Putin started the war because he saw NATO expanding too close to Russia’s borders. He has made it clear that Ukraine must never join NATO.
Putin also says Russia should keep the land it has seized, Western countries should ease sanctions, and Ukraine should hold a presidential election. Right now, Zelenskiy is ruling under martial law, which was imposed due to the war.
Trump has generally had a friendly approach toward Russia, according to Reuters. He has distanced the U.S. from some of its traditional allies and even suggested taking over Canada or Greenland. However, his administration has recently started showing signs that it may put more pressure on Russia to stop the fighting.
The situation remains uncertain, but as Reuters has reported, the world is closely watching to see if Trump and Putin can reach an agreement that brings an end to the war.
Credit: Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-hold-call-with-putin-test-deal-making-strength-2025-03-18