Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced his intent to initiate direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing urgency over escalating casualties in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of a four-day Middle East visit, Trump said, “I think it’s time for us to just do it.” He criticized Putin’s absence from peace talks in Turkey, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had agreed to participate in an American-led proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Russia, however, declined the offer and continues military operations inside Ukraine.
Trump, reiterating that he was “not surprised” by Putin’s decision to skip the Istanbul talks, emphasized his belief that real progress can only be made through a personal meeting with the Russian leader.
“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it — or maybe not. At least we’ll know,” he said aboard Air Force One.
While noting his desire to return home to see his newborn grandson, Trump added he would prioritize a sit-down with Putin “as soon as we can set it up.”
With ongoing high casualty rates — Trump cited “5,000 young people being killed every single week” — he stressed the need for urgent resolution:
“We’re going to have to get it solved, because too many people are dying.”
Despite low expectations from the Istanbul negotiations — the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in three years — Trump remains committed to brokering a deal:
“Nothing’s going to happen until he and I get together.”