US president Donald Trump said he will have a phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Monday morning to discuss how to stop the war in Ukraine.
Hours after the US president’s announcement, Kremlin forces launched the largest drone barrage on Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Posting on Saturday on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he will also speak on Monday with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and “various members” of the Nato alliance.
“HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PRODUCTIVE DAY, A CEASEFIRE WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS VERY VIOLENT WAR, A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WILL END. GOD BLESS US ALL!!!,” Mr Trump wrote.
Early on Sunday, Russia fired 273 Shahed drones and drone decoys at Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram. Air defences downed 88 UAVs and jammed 128 decoys, it said.
Russia’s defence ministry reported downing 14 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod region on Sunday morning.
Officials from Ukraine and Russia on Friday held their first direct talks in more than three years, mediated by Turkey.
Yet while the two sides agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners in coming days, expectations going into the meeting were low after Mr Putin decided not to attend — sending only a low-level delegation and declining to commit to a ceasefire proposal.
During the talks in Istanbul, the Russians repeated broad demands, including their country’s control of five regions of Ukraine.
In an interview Friday on Fox News, Mr Trump suggested that a face-to-face meeting with Mr Putin might be the only way to achieve a ceasefire.
He also lashed out at Mr Zelenskiy, repeating his claim that the Ukrainian leader doesn’t “have the cards” to hold off Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that a call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin is being prepared. Earlier, the Kremlin said a meeting between the two leaders could take place if the two sides come to certain, unspecified agreements.
Secretary of state Marco Rubio told reporters in Rome on Saturday that Vatican City would be one possible location for an in-person meeting. He also spoke with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Mr Zelenskiy, meanwhile, again called for stronger sanctions against Moscow to force Mr Putin toward a ceasefire.
His comments came after a Russian drone hit a minibus carrying civilians near the front lines in Ukraine’s Sumy region, killing nine people and injuring seven, according to officials. – Bloomberg
