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

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

The phone call follows direct Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul last week

LONDON -- President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin at around 10 a.m. ET on Monday, as the White House continues its push for an end to Moscow's 3-year-old invasion of Ukraine after last week's peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey.

"The subjects of the call will be, stopping the 'bloodbath' that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade," Trump wrote in a post to his Truth Social website on Saturday.

"I will then be speaking to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and then, with President Zelenskyy, various members of NATO," Trump added.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to journalists on Monday that the call would take place at 5 p.m. Moscow time -- 10 a.m. ET -- the state-run Tass news agency reported.

Renewed direct contact with Putin -- the last publicly known direct phone call between the two presidents took place in February -- comes after Trump's hopes for peace talks progress in Istanbul were scuppered, Putin having declined to attend despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's invitation to do so.

The Istanbul talks were the first known meeting between representatives of Moscow and Kyiv since spring 2022, when the Turkish city hosted the final round of unsuccessful peace negotiations to end Russia's unfolding invasion.

Once it became clear Putin would not attend, Trump told reporters of the peace effort, "Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together, okay?"


This combination photo shows President Donald Trump on May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kre...Show more
AP
"And obviously he wasn't going to go," Trump added. "He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there. And I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together, but we're going to have to get it solved, because too many people are dying."

Trump's repeated threats of further sanctions on Russia have so far failed to precipitate any notable shift in Moscow's war goals -- which, according to public statements by officials, still include Ukraine's ceding of four regions -- which Russian forces do not fully control -- plus Crimea, as well as a permanent block on Kyiv's accession to NATO.

Putin said Sunday that any peace deal with Ukraine should "eliminate the causes that triggered this crisis" and "guarantee Russia's security."

Kyiv and its European backers are still pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire, during which time they say peace negotiations can take place. Moscow has thus far refused to support the proposal, suggesting that all Western military aid to Ukraine would have to stop as part of any ceasefire.

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

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio welcomed a prisoner exchange agreement reached during the Istanbul meeting and emphasized Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire.

Vice President JD Vance also met with Zelenskyy at the Vatican on Saturday, following Pope Leo XIV's offer to host a bilateral meeting.

MORE: Trump says Ukraine-Russia peace 'not going to happen' without Putin meet
After the meeting, Zelenskyy wrote on X that he had "reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible."

"We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange," Zelenskyy continued. "Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday wrote on X that the Istanbul meeting highlighted a "stark difference" between Moscow and Kyiv. "Ukraine is forward-looking, focused on the full and immediate ceasefire to kickstart the real peace process. To the contrary, Russia is completely focused on the past, rejecting the ceasefire and instead talking constantly about the 2022 Istanbul meetings, attempting to make the same absurd demands as three years ago."

"This is yet another reason why pressure on Russia must be increased," Sybiha added. "Moscow must now understand the consequences of impeding the peace process."

Meanwhile, long-range strikes by both sides continued. On Sunday night into Monday morning, Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 112 drones into the country, 76 of which were shot down or jammed. Damage was reported in five regions of Ukraine, the air force said in a post to Telegram.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Monday morning that its forces had downed 35 Ukrainian drones overnight.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

US military officially reacts to Iranian missile attack

Image
  US military officially reacts to Iranian missile attack In the first official U.S. military confirmation of the Iranian attack targeting Al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar, U.S. Central Command said the missile barrage was "defeated by U.S. and Qatari Patriot batteries." CENTCOM also confirmed that there were no casualties to American or Qatari personnel. "We will continue to aggressively defend our service members and partners in the region. Our adversaries should have no doubt about our resolve or our capabilities," CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement. Traces are seen in the sky after Iran's armed forces say they targeted The Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025.
Read more

Ohio deputy fatally struck by man whose son had been shot by police: Authorities The man's 18-year-old son was fatally shot by police the day before. ByVictoria Arancio and Jack Moore May 4, 2025, 7:31 AM 2:10 Deputy killed in car attack in Ohio: AuthoritiesPolice are calling it a "calculated" attack. The suspect is the father of a teenager who was shot and killed by an offi...Show more Authorities in Ohio said a man "purposely" struck and killed a sheriff's deputy the day after his teen son was fatally shot by police. Rodney Hinton Jr. has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of the sheriff's deputy, who was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. Cincinnati police said Hinton is the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was shot and killed by an officer the day before. Rodney Hinton Jr., seen here in court, has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of a sheriff's deputy. WCPO At a court appearance on Saturday, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies packed the courtroom in support of the fallen deputy, according to ABC Cincinnati affiliate WCPO. Prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson said that Hinton Jr.'s movements in his car on Friday were "calculated and premeditated." He added, "He lined up his car, deliberately accelerated his car and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff." The attorney representing Hinton Jr. said that he faces a "very serious, very terrible charge" but noted that he has no felonies in his record. "I understand that this is an emotionally charged situation," the attorney said, mentioning the death of Hinton Jr.'s son. He added, "I understand that there is a lot of sadness and a lot of anger in this room right now and in the community at large." The judge ordered Hinton Jr. held without bond in the Clermont County jail until his next hearing on May 6. In a statement Saturday, attorneys representing the Hinton family said they were hired to investigate the death of Ryan Hinton and that Rodney Hinton, along with other family members, met with Cincinnati police on Friday to view body camera footage of his shooting death. The deputy was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. WCPO "Ryan Hinton's family, including Ryan's father, was present at the meeting and they were understandably distraught as they watched the bodycam video," the statement said. "After the meeting with the police department, Ryan Hinton's father left in his own vehicle and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer who was working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati." The attorneys are Michael Wright, Shean Williams and Robert Gresham of The Cochran Firm, as well as Anthony Pierson of Pierson and Pierson, LLC, according to WCPO. The statement went on to say: "This is an unimaginable tragedy for this community. Ryan Hinton's family is heartbroken by this tragic turn of events and we are all devastated for the family of the officer who was killed." The deputy has not yet been publicly identified under an Ohio law that protects the privacy of victims and their families. However, police said the deputy had recently retired and was serving in a special capacity with the department

Image
Ohio deputy fatally struck by man whose son had been shot by police: Authorities The man's 18-year-old son was fatally shot by police the day  before Show more Authorities in Ohio said a man "purposely" struck and killed a sheriff's deputy the day after his teen son was fatally shot by police. Rodney Hinton Jr. has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of the sheriff's deputy, who was struck Friday while directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to authorities. Cincinnati police said Hinton is the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was  shot and killed by an officer  the day before. Rodney Hinton Jr., seen here in court, has been charged with aggravated murder in the death of a sheriff's deputy. WCPO At a court appearance on Saturday, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies packed the courtroom in support of the fallen deputy,  according to ABC Cincinnati affiliate WCPO . Prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson said that Hinton Jr....
Read more

Israel-Iran updates: Israel and Iran agree to ceasefire, Trump says

Image
  Israel-Iran updates: Israel and Iran agree to ceasefire, Trump says The agreement has two 12-hour ceasefire periods before the war is over, he said. Iran carried out a missile attack on the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday, according to a U.S. official, two days after  the U.S. struck three nuclear sites in Iran. There are no reports of casualties at the base, according to a U.S. official. Iran's attack was in response to the U.S. on Saturday sending B-2 bombers to drop 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs -- known as "bunker busters" -- over Iran. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran," though Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said a full battle damage assessment is still pending. Also on Monday, Trump announced that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire, after more than a week of aerial attacks following Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear program. ...
Read more