Trump to ask Putin to stop 'bloodbath' in Ukraine peace call

[ad_1] LONDON -- President Donald Trump is anticipated to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin at round 10 a.m. ET on Monday, because the White Home continues its push for an finish to Moscow's 3-year-old invasion of Ukraine after final week's peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey.

"The topics of the decision shall be, stopping the 'massacre' that's killing, on common, greater than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian troopers every week, and commerce," Trump wrote in a publish to his Fact Social web site on Saturday.

"I'll then be talking to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine after which, with President Zelenskyy, varied members of NATO," Trump added.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to journalists on Monday that the decision would happen at 5 p.m. Moscow time -- 10 a.m. ET -- the state-run Tass information company reported.

Renewed direct contact with Putin -- the final publicly recognized direct cellphone name between the 2 presidents came about in February -- comes after Trump's hopes for peace talks progress in Istanbul have been scuppered, Putin having declined to attend regardless of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's invitation to take action.

The Istanbul talks have been the primary recognized assembly between representatives of Moscow and Kyiv since spring 2022, when the Turkish metropolis hosted the ultimate spherical of unsuccessful peace negotiations to finish Russia's unfolding invasion.

As soon as it turned clear Putin wouldn't attend, Trump advised reporters of the peace effort, "Nothing's going to occur till Putin and I get collectively, okay?"

This mixture picture reveals President Donald Trump on Could 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Kremlin in Moscow, on Could 10, 2025.

AP

"And clearly he wasn't going to go," Trump added. "He was going to go, however he thought I used to be going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there. And I do not imagine something's going to occur, whether or not you prefer it or not, till he and I get collectively, however we'll must get it solved, as a result of too many individuals are dying."

Trump's repeated threats of additional sanctions on Russia have to this point did not precipitate any notable shift in Moscow's warfare targets -- which, in line with public statements by officers, nonetheless embody Ukraine's ceding of 4 areas -- which Russian forces don't absolutely management -- plus Crimea, in addition to a everlasting block on Kyiv's accession to NATO.

Putin stated Sunday that any peace take care of Ukraine ought to "eradicate the causes that triggered this disaster" and "assure Russia's safety."

Kyiv and its European backers are nonetheless pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire, throughout which period they are saying peace negotiations can happen. Moscow has to date refused to help the proposal, suggesting that every one Western navy help to Ukraine must cease as a part of any ceasefire.

Contacts between U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officers continued after the top of the talks in Istanbul. On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov.

State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated Rubio welcomed a prisoner trade settlement reached through the Istanbul assembly and emphasised Trump's name for an instantaneous ceasefire.

Vice President JD Vance additionally met with Zelenskyy on the Vatican on Saturday, following Pope Leo XIV's supply to host a bilateral assembly.

After the assembly, Zelenskyy wrote on X that he had "reaffirmed that Ukraine is able to be engaged in actual diplomacy and underscored the significance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as quickly as doable."

"We now have additionally touched upon the necessity for sanctions in opposition to Russia, bilateral commerce, protection cooperation, battlefield scenario and upcoming prisoners trade," Zelenskyy continued. "Strain is required in opposition to Russia till they're desirous to cease the warfare."

Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday wrote on X that the Istanbul assembly highlighted a "stark distinction" between Moscow and Kyiv. "Ukraine is forward-looking, targeted on the total and quick ceasefire to kickstart the actual peace course of. On the contrary, Russia is totally targeted on the previous, rejecting the ceasefire and as an alternative speaking consistently in regards to the 2022 Istanbul conferences, trying to make the identical absurd calls for as three years in the past."

"That is but another excuse why strain on Russia have to be elevated," Sybiha added. "Moscow should now perceive the implications of impeding the peace course of."

In the meantime, long-range strikes by each side continued. On Sunday evening into Monday morning, Ukraine's air pressure stated Russia launched 112 drones into the nation, 76 of which have been shot down or jammed. Injury was reported in 5 areas of Ukraine, the air pressure stated in a publish to Telegram.