Trump to hold calls with Putin and Zelenskyy on Monday to stop 'bloodbath'
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump announced a series of important phone calls with the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine. He hopes these talks will be a step toward ending the war.
"I will be speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday at 10:00 a.m. (local time -ed.) 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," Trump said.
He also noted that he plans to discuss trade issues with Putin.
"I will then be speaking to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and then, with President Zelenskyy, various members of NATO," he added.
Trump expressed hope that it would be a productive day.
"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!" he said.
Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul
On the night of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a joint proposal from Ukraine, the US, and several European leaders for a 30-day ceasefire.
Instead, he suggested holding a meeting between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
Despite the agreement, Putin, unlike Zelenskyy, did not travel to Turkey.
On Thursday, May 15, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States does not expect a breakthrough from the talks between Ukraine and Russia.
He added that only a personal meeting between the US and Russian Presidents could break the deadlock.
Later, Trump also said he did not expect any progress in the Ukraine negotiations until he met with Putin in person.
Yesterday, Mykhailo Samus, Director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, told RBC-Ukraine that talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and the US could become a real psychological battle.
For more details, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
