U.S. President Donald Trump said he will speak separately with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, aiming to halt a war that now kills an estimated 5,000 soldiers a week.
US President Donald Trump.EPA/ANNABELLE GORDON
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed preparations for the Putin call. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) discussion would focus on “stopping the bloodbath” and trade; he will then brief NATO leaders and talk with Zelensky.
Friday’s Istanbul meeting—the first direct contact since March 2022—produced only a deal to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. A senior Ukrainian official said Russia demanded Kyiv pull back from all territories Moscow claims before any ceasefire.
Trump, who offered to attend the talks if Putin had joined in person, called Monday “a productive day, I hope,” and urged an immediate truce.
Zelensky, meanwhile, urged tougher sanctions after a Russian drone attack in Sumy killed nine civilians, saying it showed Moscow “deliberately” targets non-combatants.
The Kremlin gave no details of its conditions for halting hostilities. Talks lasted under two hours.
(jh)
Source: Polskie Radio 24, Reuters