Trump, Putin to hold peace talks amid European ceasefire efforts
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US President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, as European leaders express support for a 30-day truce.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, looks over toward US President Donald Trump, left, as Trump speaks during their joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (AP)
US President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss prospects for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The initiative marks a new phase in the ongoing Trump-Putin Ukraine peace talks, with the US leader aiming to end what he has repeatedly described as a “bloodbath.”
Trump, positioning himself as a peacemaker, said the conversation would center on ending the war and discussing trade, adding, "Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end," on his Truth Social platform.
Delegations from both Russia and Ukraine met last week in Istanbul, the first such talks since March 2022, following Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations.
European leaders back Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal
European heads of state have welcomed Trump’s diplomatic overture and are urging a Russia-Ukraine war ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron, writing on X, called on Putin to accept the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by Trump and endorsed by both Ukraine and several European capitals.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also joined a coordinated call on Sunday with leaders from the US, Italy, France, and Germany, during which the war in Ukraine was a central topic.
However, it is worth emphasizing that Russia remains very cautious about any ceasefire, demanding that no pause in hostilities can occur unless key conditions are clarified.
Putin continues to reject Western accusations that Russia’s actions constitute an "imperial-style land grab", instead casting the war as a response to years of NATO encroachment on what he describes as Moscow’s traditional "sphere of influence."
That said, in June 2024, the Russian president reiterated that Ukraine must formally abandon its NATO aspirations and withdraw from four Ukrainian regions claimed by Moscow.
On the other hand, European leaders continue to express concern that Trump's Ukraine diplomacy may lead to a settlement seen as "overly favorable" to Moscow.
