Washington, D.C., — U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to speak separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an effort to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing war in Ukraine, describing the conflict as a “bloodbath” that he aims to help end.
In a series of characteristically emphatic posts on his Truth Social platform Saturday, Trump wrote, “THE SUBJECTS OF THE CALL WILL BE, STOPPING THE ‘BLOODBATH’ THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK, AND TRADE.” The casualty figure cited by the president remains unverified and significantly exceeds estimates from official sources and independent observers.
The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, confirmed to a state-run Russian news agency that preparations for a call between President Trump and President Putin are underway.
Trump added that he would subsequently speak with President Zelenskyy and NATO leaders, expressing hope for a breakthrough. “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,” he posted.
Uncertain Diplomatic Prospects
Trump’s announcement comes shortly after inconclusive peace talks in Istanbul, where Ukrainian officials expressed readiness for a ceasefire but rejected what they called “unacceptable” Russian demands. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion in 2022, continues to occupy large portions of eastern Ukraine.
Though Trump has repeatedly positioned himself as a potential peacemaker in the conflict, the path forward remains unclear. The president previously offered to travel to Turkey for the negotiations if Putin would attend—a proposal that saw only low-level Russian delegates participate. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has not publicly confirmed whether he will engage directly in these upcoming discussions.
Despite his stated aim to facilitate peace, Trump has maintained a confrontational stance toward Ukraine in recent months. He froze military aid earlier this year and engaged in a tense public exchange with Zelenskyy at the White House. Although the tone reportedly softened following a conversation at the Vatican during Pope Francis’ funeral, frustrations remain.
In a recent Fox News interview, Trump criticized Ukraine’s use of U.S. assistance, stating: “What bothered me, I hated to see the way it was, you know, excuse me, pissed away.” He went on to say of Zelenskyy, “I think he’s the greatest salesman in the world. Far better than me. Where is all this money going?”
Reactions from Key Stakeholders
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, in a separate social media post, condemned a recent Russian drone attack that killed nine civilians on a passenger bus. He reiterated Ukraine’s offer of a full and unconditional ceasefire: “Yesterday, as on any other day of this war, there was an opportunity to cease fire. Ukraine has long been offering this… Russia retains nothing but the ability to continue killing.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed contact with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “The death and destruction must stop. The U.S. has presented a strong peace plan and we welcome the Prisoner of War exchange agreement reached in Istanbul. Let’s not miss this huge opportunity. The time for ending this war is now.”
Trump Rails Against Tariffs Fallout and Revives Conspiracy Theories
Beyond foreign policy, Trump’s weekend social media activity also included sharp criticism of domestic economic policy responses. Reacting to Walmart’s warning that U.S. tariffs may lead to higher consumer prices, Trump wrote, “Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain… ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
In a more controversial turn, Trump shared a video containing unsubstantiated conspiracy theories implicating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and reviving false claims about the 2016 murder of Democratic staffer Seth Rich. These claims have been widely discredited; Rich’s family settled a defamation lawsuit with Fox News in 2020 over the propagation of similar false narratives. The U.S. intelligence community and Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russian operatives were responsible for the 2016 election-related hacks, not any insider leaks.
As Trump moves to position himself as a central figure in both domestic and international arenas, the coming week’s diplomatic engagements may offer a clearer picture of his capacity to influence outcomes in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
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