Trump-Putin Call Scheduled as US Pushes for Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire

The US push for a swift ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine could gain momentum as President Donald Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Trump confirmed the call while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, during a flight back to Washington from Florida.

“I‘ll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work’s been done over the weekend,” Trump said, as reported by Reuters.

The confirmation follows remarks from White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, who earlier on Sunday suggested the call was imminent and reaffirmed continued US engagement with Ukraine.

“I expect there’ll be a call with both presidents this week. And we’re continuing to engage and have conversations with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN’s State of the Union.

Kremlin Expresses ‘Cautious Optimism’

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that Putin had asked Witkoff to relay messages to Trump ahead of the call. According to the Interfax news agency, Peskov described the prospects of a ceasefire deal with “cautious optimism.”

Witkoff recently met with Putin in Moscow after Ukraine accepted a US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia. However, Putin rejected the plan, insisting that unresolved issues remained.

Despite this, Witkoff called the discussion “positive,” describing it as “solution-based.” He suggested that Putin “accepts the philosophy of President Trump” and that both leaders desire to end the war.

“Trump genuinely expects some sort of deal in the coming weeks, and I believe that’s the case,” Witkoff added.

US Officials See Ceasefire Deal Within Reach

The Trump administration believes a ceasefire agreement is only weeks away. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told ABC’s This Week that while Putin is open to a ceasefire, he has additional demands under consideration by Trump’s national security team.

“This will likely involve territorial negotiations and future security guarantees for Ukraine. We know the key elements. A deal is within reach,” Waltz stated.

However, Ukraine has been pushing for stronger security assurances from the US and its allies to prevent future Russian aggression. Washington, so far, has been hesitant to make firm commitments. A recent minerals deal between the US and Kyiv collapsed over this issue.

Controversy Over Trump’s Approach

Trump’s push for a ceasefire has sparked backlash in Kyiv and across Europe, with critics fearing the US may be pressuring Ukraine into concessions that favor Russia. The White House briefly halted arms shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine before later resuming them.

Adding to tensions, Trump has openly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to him as a “dictator” and suggesting that Ukraine has been more difficult to negotiate with than Russia.

Despite the controversy, senior US officials argue that engaging with both sides is necessary to achieve a lasting peace, as the war nears its third anniversary.