U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold talks this week as Washington and its European allies push for a ceasefire in Ukraine’s ongoing war.
The U.S. recently proposed a halt to hostilities following negotiations in Saudi Arabia, with Kyiv agreeing to the terms. However, Putin has not given a clear response, instead listing conditions and expressing concerns over the proposal.
Trump’s special envoy for the conflict, Steve Witkoff, who recently met with Putin, told CNN that the two leaders are set for a “positive discussion” on the matter.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed “concrete aspects” of agreements reached at a previous U.S.-Russia summit in Riyadh. The Russian foreign ministry confirmed the conversation but made no mention of the ceasefire.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of stalling peace efforts, claiming Moscow wants to gain more ground before considering a truce. The UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer also criticized Russia for delaying, calling for an end to what he described as “barbaric attacks” on Ukraine.
Despite the ceasefire push, fighting has intensified, with Ukraine reporting Russian drone attacks on multiple regions. One person was killed in a strike on Izyum, Kharkiv region, authorities said.
Putin, who argues that the ceasefire terms favor Ukraine, has requested a direct conversation with Trump to discuss Russia’s concerns. However, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of making excuses to prolong the war, saying Putin was “lying” about the complexity of the truce.
The expected Trump-Putin discussion could be a crucial moment in efforts to bring the war to an end.
