United States President Donald Trump will hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, focusing on the ongoing Ukraine crisis and trade matters.
Trump, speaking on Saturday, said the call aims to halt the “bloodbath” between Moscow and Kyiv, reflecting his administration’s efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
This development follows the inconclusive talks held on Friday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, Türkiye, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also participated as a mediator alongside Turkish officials.
Trump expressed hope that the conversation would be “productive, and a ceasefire will take place.” However, he did not specify if he expected a truce to be agreed upon immediately or in the coming days.
After his call with Putin, Trump is also scheduled to speak with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and “various members of NATO.”
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow is making the necessary arrangements for the call, though he did not provide details on the logistics or expected outcomes.
Also read: US warns Russia of 'crushing' sanctions if peace talks fail
The Istanbul talks, which marked the first direct negotiations between the warring sides in nearly three years, reportedly included a significant prisoner exchange agreement involving 1,000 prisoners of war (POWs) from each side. Both delegations agreed to continue contacts after preparing detailed ceasefire proposals.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the results of the Istanbul talks in a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday, initiated by the American side.
Rubio expressed optimism, noting that “positive developments” are expected in the coming days. Lavrov, in turn, praised Washington’s role in encouraging Kyiv to negotiate, expressing Moscow’s readiness to work with the US to resolve the crisis.
Trump, who has maintained that direct engagement with Putin is crucial, reiterated on Friday that he is prepared to meet the Russian leader “as soon as we can set it up.”
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