Trump to Talk with Putin on Tuesday About Ending Ukraine War, Says Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss stopping the war in Ukraine. This comes after U.S. and Russian officials held positive talks in Moscow over the weekend. Trump shared this news while flying back to Washington from Florida, saying, “We want to see if we can end the war. Maybe we can, maybe we can’t, but I think we have a good chance.”
According to Reuters, Trump is pushing for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine has already agreed to. However, fighting continued over the weekend, with both sides launching heavy attacks. Russia is also trying to push Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region, which they have held for months.
When asked about possible compromises, Trump mentioned discussions about land and power plants, likely referring to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control. Both sides have accused each other of risking a nuclear accident there.
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin will speak with Trump but did not comment on Trump’s remarks about land and power plants. Earlier, Putin sent a message to Trump through a U.S. envoy, expressing “cautious optimism” about a possible ceasefire deal.
However, challenges remain. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, said that both Russia and Ukraine would need to make concessions for a lasting peace. Waltz even questioned whether the U.S. should demand that Russia leave all Ukrainian territory, saying negotiations must be based on “reality.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Ukraine’s sovereignty is non-negotiable and that Russia must return all seized land. Russia, on the other hand, wants guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO and will remain neutral.
Reuters also reports that Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said any peace deal must include “ironclad” security guarantees for Russia, such as Ukraine’s neutral status and no NATO membership.
In response, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said Russia’s demands show it is not serious about peace.
Trump’s approach to Russia has been controversial, as he has shifted U.S. policy closer to Moscow. His recent meeting with Zelenskiy ended early, but Ukraine’s acceptance of the ceasefire proposal now puts pressure on Russia to agree.
Other Western allies, like Britain and France, are preparing to support Ukraine if a ceasefire happens. They have even suggested sending peacekeepers, but Russia has rejected this idea, saying peacekeepers would only be acceptable after the war ends.
This news, based on Reuters reporting, highlights the complexities of ending the Ukraine war. While there is hope for a ceasefire, significant disagreements remain between Russia, Ukraine, and their allies.
Credit: This story is based on reporting by Reuters.