Washington (The COW News Digital)U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a 40-minute telephone conversation on Tuesday, discussing the ongoing war in Ukraine and broader international issues. The call is seen as a significant development, with indications that Putin is now willing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to diplomatic sources, the long-anticipated meeting between Putin and Zelensky could take place by the end of August, raising cautious hopes for renewed dialogue in the war-torn region. President Trump reportedly updated Putin on his recent discussions with Zelensky and European leaders, emphasizing Washington’s continued role as a mediator.
“Putin wants to find an answer,” Trump told reporters, adding that there was optimism Moscow would agree to the release of Ukrainian prisoners in the near future. Both leaders agreed to maintain ongoing communication not only about Ukraine but also regarding wider global challenges.
Meanwhile, President Zelensky told American media outlets that his conversation with Trump had been “very good,” but stressed that “the best is yet to come” with potential high-level talks. Ukrainian officials, however, remain firm in their stance that Kyiv will never concede control of territories currently occupied by Russian forces.
Reports indicate that Ukraine has reiterated demands for security guarantees from the United States. Kyiv is also considering the purchase of $1.2 billion worth of U.S. weaponry, further deepening military cooperation between the two allies.
In a strongly worded statement, the Ukrainian government underscored that any peace agreement must include a full Russian withdrawal, a ceasefire, and compensation for war damages inflicted during the nearly two-year conflict.
While Washington has not provided official details of the Trump-Putin call, analysts note that the U.S. president’s willingness to engage both Moscow and Kyiv marks a shift toward a more direct mediation role. At the same time, skepticism persists in Kyiv, where leaders insist that peace cannot come at the expense of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
As the possibility of a Putin-Zelensky summit approaches, the world is closely watching whether the latest round of diplomacy will bring meaningful progress or simply prolong a stalemate that has cost tens of thousands of lives.
