May 19 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with President Vladimir Putin on Monday about ending the war in Ukraine as the Kremlin continues to unleash barrages of drone attacks on its war-torn neighbor.
The two leaders are to scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. EDT.
Trump announced the planned call in a Truth Social post on Saturday.
“THE SUBJECTS OF THE CWILL BE STOPPING THE ‘BLOODBATH’ THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK, AND TRADE,” Trump said.
After speaking with Putin, Trump said he would talk with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and then, together, they would speak with NATO members.
“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.”
European leaders spoke on Sunday ahead of the Putin-Trump call.
A statement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he, along with the leaders of Italy, France and Germany, “discussed the need for an unconditional cease-fire and for President Putin to take peace talks seriously.”
“They also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a cease-fire and peace talks,” 10 Downing Street said.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the quad-nation talks.
“Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional cease-fire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” the French president said on X.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said they all support Trump’s efforts for “a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
Overnight Sunday, Russia launched dozens of drones at several Ukrainian cities.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement it “neutralized” 76 of the Iran-made Shahed-type drones, shooting down 41 of them. The other 35 were lost due to electronic warfare.
From Saturday night into Sunday, Russia launched 273 drones at Ukraine, of which 88 were shot down and 128 lost, it said.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said the attack marked “the largest single drone strike of the war.”
Trump — who had campaigned on ending the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to the White House — has been seeking a quick resolution to the conflict since his inauguration in January.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine did take place in Istanbul late last week, though expectations of progress were low. Putin did not attend the talks he proposed and Trump declared “nothing’s going to happen” until he and Putin spoke.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, told ABC News’ This Week on Sunday that the U.S. president call with Putin over the phone “is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to.”
“I think it’s going to be a very successful call,” he said, adding that Trump and Putin “know each other.”
“The president is determined to get something done here,” he said. “And, hopefully, if he can’t do it, then nobody can.”
