Trump to speak with Putin in renewed push for Ukraine peace deal

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday as he intensifies efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The call comes on the heels of last week’s Istanbul peace talks — the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in nearly three years — which ended without a ceasefire agreement. Ukrainian officials criticized Moscow for sending junior-level envoys without decision-making authority, while both sides accused each other of not taking the talks seriously.

President Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to broker peace in Ukraine since assuming office in January, said the call with Putin is part of his mission to “stop the bloodshed” and restore stability in the region. He also plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders to push for an immediate, unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

“The violence must end. We are working hard to achieve a ceasefire that stops the suffering and opens the door to lasting peace,” Trump said on Sunday.

While Trump has pushed for diplomacy, critics note he has largely avoided directly confronting Moscow or criticizing Putin. The U.S. president has maintained that meaningful progress will only come through a face-to-face meeting with his Russian counterpart.

International Pressure Mounts

During the Istanbul meeting, both Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner swap involving 1,000 detainees each and discussed possible ceasefire frameworks. However, no formal agreement was reached. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s team, said future dialogue must include a summit between Putin and Zelensky.

The Kremlin, responding to that suggestion, indicated that a presidential meeting could be possible — but only if there is measurable progress in negotiations.

Western leaders are growing increasingly frustrated with Russia’s position. On Sunday, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy held a joint call with Trump to coordinate strategies ahead of his Putin conversation.

According to a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the leaders underscored the need for a ceasefire and warned that further sanctions could follow if Moscow continues to obstruct peace efforts.

Zelensky also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican after attending Pope Leo’s inaugural mass. In a statement, the Ukrainian leader confirmed that sanctions, defense aid, prisoner swaps, and the upcoming Trump-Putin call were all on the agenda.

A Ukrainian official familiar with the discussions said that behind-the-scenes work was underway to ensure Monday’s conversation delivers “a serious step toward ending the war.”

Escalation on the Ground

The diplomatic efforts come amid a fresh surge in violence across Ukraine. Russian forces launched a record wave of drone attacks overnight Sunday, striking multiple targets, including Kyiv, where a woman was killed. In the southern Kherson region, another civilian died when a railway station and homes were hit.

Meanwhile, in a Sunday interview on Russian state television, Putin reiterated that Moscow’s military campaign seeks to “address the causes of the conflict, build a lasting peace, and safeguard Russia’s security.” These so-called causes often include longstanding grievances such as NATO’s expansion, protecting Russian-speaking populations, and halting Ukraine’s shift toward Western alliances.

However, Ukraine and its Western allies argue that these justifications are a smokescreen for Russia’s broader ambition to reclaim influence over its neighbor and redraw borders by force.

With tensions high and hopes for peace uncertain, the Trump-Putin phone call is being closely watched as a potential turning point — or another diplomatic dead end — in a war that has devastated Ukraine and rattled global stability for over three years.