U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has engaged in a high-stakes phone call on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 aiming to negotiate a 30-day ceasefire as a step toward ending the devastating three-year conflict in Ukraine.
The White House described the call as “going well,” with discussions still ongoing as of 1400 GMT.
The war, Europe’s largest conflict since World War II, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, and left towns in ruins.
Ukraine has agreed to the U.S.-proposed truce, but Russian President Putin has indicated that his forces will continue fighting until certain conditions are met.
President Trump expressed urgency in resolving the conflict, highlighting the heavy toll of 2,500 soldier deaths weekly.
He hinted at a longer-term peace plan that could involve territorial concessions by Kyiv and Russian control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
