Trump talks to both Putin and Zelensky
President Donald Trump is preparing for consecutive calls between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky Promoting high-stakes diplomacy to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The move comes after the US suspended military aid to Ukraine.
That was Trump’s appeal with Putin. It’s scheduled today After that, 10am Eastern Standard Time Friday’s conversation with Zelenskyy. Trump had previously expressed hope that talks could lead to a ceasefire, but his attempts to negotiate between Russia and Ukraine have failed to bring about great progress.
The US decision to halt the shipment of weapons, including the Patriot air defense interceptor, shocked Kiev and its NATO allies. Zelensky says it is ready to pay $15 billion for the system.
However, the pentagonals make this movement “Maintain US military preparation for administrative defense prioritiesAccording to the Pentagon Policy Chief Elbridge Colby.
What world leaders see:
- Trump’s direct involvement with both Putin and Zelensky identifies a new attempt to position the United States as a central broker in peace negotiations.
- The sudden suspension of US military aid deepens the rift with European allies that continue to rely on Ukraine’s support, fearing that Washington’s stance could undermine Western solidarity.
- With weapon delivery being suspended, Ukraine cannot protect itself from Russia’s almost a day bombing of Ukrainian civilians.
Trump is highly controversial for suppressing maintaining robust support for Ukraine. Critics in both the US and European countries argue that withholding military aid at critical times risks promoting Russia and could force Ukraine to accept language that is unfavourable. The move revives memories of Trump’s previous withholding of aid to Ukraine.
In this story, Fortune used the generator AI to assist with the initial draft. The editors checked the accuracy of the information prior to publication.