Moscow/Washington, May 20 – U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in a bid to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, as European leaders intensify calls for an immediate halt to the region’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.
The call, scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern Time (1400 GMT), follows a push by Trump to end what he described as a “bloodbath” in Ukraine, where fighting continues to claim the lives of more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers each week.
“The subjects of the call will be stopping the bloodbath and trade,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that he hoped the day would prove “productive” and lead to a ceasefire. He said he would also speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and various NATO leaders.
The Kremlin confirmed that preparations for the call were underway, though expectations remain low amid continued Russian advances and hardened positions on both sides.
First Talks Since 2022
Delegates from Russia and Ukraine met last week in Istanbul, marking the first direct talks since March 2022. The meeting followed a proposal by Putin for renewed dialogue and mounting pressure from European governments and Trump for a ceasefire.
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, a plan endorsed by both Ukraine and European leaders. “Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace,” Macron posted on X.
Russia Resists Ceasefire Pressure
Despite growing diplomatic momentum, Putin has remained firm on his conditions for ending the war. In June 2024, he reiterated that Ukraine must abandon its ambitions to join NATO and withdraw troops from four regions Russia claims as its own.
On Sunday, Russia launched its largest drone strike on Ukraine since the start of the invasion in February 2022. Ukraine’s intelligence service also claimed Moscow may have been preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, though Russia has not confirmed this.
The conflict has triggered the gravest standoff between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
Concerns Over a “Punitive” Peace
European leaders have expressed concern that a Trump-brokered deal could result in Ukraine losing significant territory without receiving strong security guarantees. Critics warn such a deal could embolden Moscow and fail to prevent future aggression. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with leaders from the U.S., Italy, France, and Germany over the weekend to coordinate positions ahead of Trump’s call with Putin.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden, European allies, and Ukrainian officials have framed the war as an imperial-style land grab, warning that Russian forces could threaten NATO in the future — a charge Moscow denies. Putin, for his part, has characterized the conflict as a critical juncture in Russia’s post-Soviet struggle to assert influence and push back against NATO’s eastward expansion.
