Trump calls Putin as US pushes for Ukraine peace deal

President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin as Washington pushes harder for a peace agreement in Ukraine. This call follows a trip by US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff who met separately with both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a proposal designed to end the fighting. Yury Ushakov, an adviser to Putin's foreign affairs ministry, said the leaders held a constructive hour-long conversation that was quite frank. The two heads of state reviewed Russia's ongoing special military operation and discussed potential advances on the battlefield. Ushakov noted that Putin addressed rising fears about future attacks across Europe and against NATO members by stating there are no aggressive plans for such strikes. He emphasized that good ideas emerged from the recent visits between the envoys and the leaders in Moscow and Kyiv.

Zelenskyy thanked Trump for allowing the delegation to enter Ukraine despite active combat, adding that ending this war is a top priority for everyone involved. However, these high-level talks did not stop the violence overnight. Fighting resumed immediately after a brief weekend pause. Russian strikes on Tuesday morning killed at least five civilians and wounded twenty-five others in Kyiv. Meanwhile, reports from Russia claim three deaths in the Bryansk and Kursk regions with thirteen more injured. Attacks by Ukraine on Crimea also resulted in approximately five fatalities according to local officials. The conflict started in February 2022 when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion targeting what is known as Europe's breadbasket.

Trump has made stopping the war a central goal of his second administration while promising he could secure a deal quickly on the campaign trail, though he later called that specific timeline an exaggeration. He blames Ukraine for draining US missile stocks and finances even as critics point to actions against Iran as a major factor in supply issues. His relationship with Putin remains close despite rocky ties with Kyiv, and he recently invited the Russian leader to Alaska for his first visit since 2015. The current administration faces sharp criticism for trying to resolve this conflict without fully involving European officials or Ukrainian partners in the process.

Ukrainian sources say President Trump will sit down with Volodymyr Zelenskyy sometime next week. The White House has not confirmed the schedule yet. Officials insist this private talk could shift how Washington handles aid for Kyiv. Both leaders plan to discuss peace terms and security guarantees directly. This meeting comes after months of stalled negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. Experts warn that any new agreement must include ironclad protection against future Russian aggression. The outcome remains uncertain until the two men actually meet face to face.