Trump, Putin hold key talks as US pushes 30-day Ukraine ceasefire
Washington: As Israel shattered its ceasefire with Hamas and launched airstrikes that killed over 400 Palestinians, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in an extended phone call on Tuesday to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine. The call took place as the White House sought Russia’s backing for a 30-day ceasefire proposal to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
While neither the White House nor the Kremlin immediately disclosed specifics of the discussion, both confirmed that the call had concluded.
Before the conversation, Trump had indicated that key topics would include disputed land and power plants seized during the war. “It’s a bad situation in Russia, and it’s a bad situation in Ukraine,” he told reporters on Monday. “What’s happening in Ukraine is not good, but we’re going to see if we can work a peace agreement, a ceasefire and peace. And I think we’ll be able to do it.”
The call followed extensive diplomatic efforts, including a meeting in Moscow last week between White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also convinced senior Ukrainian officials during discussions in Saudi Arabia to accept the proposed ceasefire framework.
Putin had previously signaled his general agreement with the US plan but insisted that Russia needed guarantees that Ukraine would not use the ceasefire to regroup and rearm. The Russian leader has also demanded that Ukraine withdraw its NATO ambitions, drastically reduce its military, and protect Russian language and cultural rights.
Trump indicated that negotiations between Washington and Moscow had already touched on “dividing up certain assets” between Ukraine and Russia as part of a broader settlement.
Trump’s stance on the war has shifted US-Russia relations significantly, as he prioritizes ending the conflict quickly—sometimes at odds with traditional U.S. allies who advocate holding Putin accountable for the invasion.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, acknowledged the discussion’s focus on Ukraine while stating there were also “a large number of questions” concerning broader US-Russia relations.
Trump has said that territorial control and energy infrastructure would be key elements of negotiations. His conversation with Putin coincided with the anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea 11 years ago, a move that foreshadowed Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Both the White House and Kremlin confirmed that the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant—Europe’s largest—was among the topics discussed. The plant, seized by Russian forces early in the war, remains a focal point of international concern, with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly warning of potential nuclear risks.
“I can say we are on the 10th yard line of peace,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “And we’ve never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment. And the president, as you know, is determined to get one done.”
However, some experts remain sceptical about Putin’s willingness to de-escalate. Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, questioned whether the Russian leader would simply use negotiations to extract more concessions.
“The U.S. has been consistently offering in some form preemptive concessions that have been weakening the American and Ukrainian negotiating position,” Bowman said. “I think there’s a real danger here that the administration’s approach is boiling down to sticks for Ukraine and carrots for Putin.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed doubts about Putin’s commitment to peace, emphasising that Russia continues its bombardment of Ukraine.
“Now, almost a week later, it’s clear to everyone in the world—even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years—that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Monday.
Trump has often emphasised the role of leverage in negotiations. “Putin has the cards, and Zelenskyy does not,” he has said repeatedly. His administration’s approach has included pressuring Ukraine, at times even suspending military aid. Following a tense February 28 meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, Trump temporarily halted certain intelligence-sharing and assistance to Ukraine, later restoring it after Kyiv agreed to the 30-day ceasefire framework.
Trump reiterated on Monday that Ukraine’s position in the conflict is weakening. He claimed that Russian forces had surrounded Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region, echoing Russian government assertions—claims disputed by Zelenskyy’s administration.
Ukraine had previously stunned Russian forces with a cross-border offensive last August, regaining 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of territory. However, in recent months, Ukrainian forces have been on the defensive, losing ground and leverage as ceasefire negotiations gain momentum.
Zelenskyy has dismissed reports that Ukrainian troops are encircled in Kursk while acknowledging the mounting challenges his army faces.
Trump suggested that his intervention had prevented a potential massacre of Ukrainian forces. “They’re surrounded by Russian soldiers, and I believe if it wasn’t for me they wouldn’t be here any longer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration continues to face legal challenges. The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against White House officials, including Leavitt, on First and Fifth Amendment grounds, alleging that the administration has retaliated against the news agency for editorial decisions. The White House claims the dispute is over compliance with an executive order requiring the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to as the “Gulf of America.”
As the world watches developments in both Ukraine and Gaza, Trump’s handling of the U.S.-Russia relationship remains under intense scrutiny. Whether his approach will lead to a lasting ceasefire—or embolden Moscow—remains uncertain.
