Trump Announces Immediate Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Talks

Washington — Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Russia and Ukraine would begin ceasefire talks “immediately” following separate phone calls he held with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, it remains unclear when and where the talks will take place or who will participate.

Trump’s announcement comes just days after the first direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials since 2022, which took place in Turkey. That meeting resulted in a limited prisoner exchange but failed to bring an end to the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The White House stated that Trump has grown increasingly “frustrated” with both sides over the war’s continuation. Vice President JD Vance said before the calls that Trump would push Putin to clarify whether he was genuinely interested in ending the war. If not, the U.S. might reduce its involvement in the peace process.

After the call, Trump told reporters that he believed Putin wanted peace. “The terms for peace will be worked out between them directly. Only they know the details of their discussions,” he wrote in a social media post. Describing his conversation with Putin, Trump called it “awesome,” adding, “If it wasn’t, I’d be honest about it.”

Trump has long pledged to end the war swiftly, even suggesting he could resolve the conflict before officially returning to office if elected again. Yet efforts to bring about peace have produced few results so far.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said on Monday that Trump is eager to see an end to the bloodshed. “He is tired and frustrated with both sides,” she told reporters. “He has made it clear that a peaceful resolution and a ceasefire must happen as soon as possible.”

Despite the lack of clear outcomes, Trump’s renewed push for diplomacy signals a continued U.S. interest in mediating peace between the two warring nations.

Team Maverick.