In an effort to bring an end to the ongoing, bloody war in Ukraine, former U.S. President Donald Trump revealed plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Trump, aboard Air Force One, told reporters that significant progress had been made over the weekend, expressing optimism about the potential for peace. “We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can’t, but I think we have a very good chance,” he stated.
Trump’s remarks came on the heels of a diplomatic push, with his envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveling to Moscow last week to engage in direct negotiations with Putin. Ukraine had previously agreed to a 30-day pause in fighting during peace talks in Saudi Arabia, with the understanding that Moscow would follow suit. Putin, however, indicated support for a ceasefire but also raised concerns over delays and complex conditions.
When pressed about possible concessions during his upcoming call with Putin, Trump indicated that discussions would cover a range of issues, including territorial concerns and the future of critical infrastructure, like power plants. He added that talks were already underway between Russia and Ukraine regarding the division of key assets.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also discussed potential next steps in the ceasefire process, signaling that both sides were taking steps toward peace.
