Washington (TDI): U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he remains optimistic about ending the war in Ukraine, confirming he had recently spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his White House talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.
Asked by reporters if he had spoken with Putin since their last publicly known call on August 18, Trump replied: “Yes, I have.” He described the conversations as “good,” though he acknowledged frustration that fighting in Ukraine has continued. “Every conversation I have with him is a good conversation. And then, unfortunately, a bomb is loaded up into Kyiv or someplace, and I get very angry about it,” he said.
Trump earlier met Putin at a high-profile summit in Alaska on August 15, part of an effort to broker a deal to end Russia’s invasion. Following their August 18 phone call, Trump said Putin had agreed in principle to meet with Zelensky, though Moscow has since downplayed any such plans. When asked why, Trump bluntly remarked: “Because he doesn’t like him.” Still, Trump insisted that a peace deal was within reach. “I think we’re going to get the war done,” he said.
Read More: Trump, Putin Talks Make Progress But No Accord on Ukraine War
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio held follow-up discussions with Ukraine’s foreign minister and counterparts from Britain, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the European Union. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, the group reaffirmed their commitment to pursue “a lasting negotiated settlement” to the war.
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Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reiterated his call for “concrete and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine, modeled on NATO’s collective defense pledge. He also signaled Italy’s readiness to contribute to land and sea demining operations, AFP reported.
Trump, while hinting to Zelensky last week at possible progress on security assurances, has repeatedly sided with Russia in opposing NATO membership for Ukraine, a stance that remains a major sticking point in peace efforts.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
