The First Phone Diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine During the Second World War: The Viable Danzig-Zelensky Regime Revisited

Since his election, he has made it clear that he wants to end the war. Last week, he used his first Sunday address to call for an “authentic, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and for all prisoners of war to be freed. He said children should be returned to their families. The war began and many Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia against the will of their families.

The phone diplomacy follows direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on Friday, where both sides said they would each exchange 1,000 war prisoners but failed to agree on an immediate ceasefire. The first talks between Russia andUkraine since the start of the full-scale invasion were held in Turkey.

It was the second time Mr. Zelensky visited the Holy See in recent weeks. Mr. Zelensky met President Trump privately at the funeral of Pope Francis and had a striking image of him and the president on metal chairs. It was the first time they had met since the February sit-down in the Oval Office in February, in which Mr. Trump castigated the Ukrainian leader.

Merz said that he, along with the leaders of France and Britain, would speak to the American president again in preparation for the conversation.

“My strong impression is that both Europeans and Americans are determined to work together, but now also in a focused manner, to ensure that this terrible war ends soon,” Mr. Merz said.

The Prime Minister of Canada and President of Switzerland met with Mr. Zelensky in Rome to discuss how to increase the pressure on Russia to end the war.

The intensified diplomacy came as Russia launched its largest drone barrage against Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years failed to yield a ceasefire.

Putin spurned Zelenskyy’s offer to meet face-to-face in Turkey after he himself proposed direct negotiations — although not at the presidential level — as an alternative to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including the U.S.

Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian air force: President Trump and negotiating a resolution of the Ukrainian War with Russia, Russia, and Europeans

The Ukrainian air force said that Russia bombarded it with a total of 273 exploding drones. Of those, 88 were intercepted and a further 128 lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The country’s three regions were attacked.

The largest drone attack since the start of the invasion was made by the Ukrainian Air Force, according to the head of the communications department.

A woman in the region was killed and three others, including a child, were wounded, according to the regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk.

MOSCOW — President Trump has been working the phones on Monday, holding calls with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and European countries as he continues efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

The Vice President told reporters he believed that Putin didn’t know how to get out of the war.

Trump has grown very frustrated with both sides of the conflict but remained open to change, said the White House press secretary.

Moscow’s force and means can meet its military objectives, insisted Putin in an interview on Russian state television. He stated that security for people in territory of Ukraine that is not under Russia’s control would also be included.

Should Trump fail to convince Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire, European leaders have urged Trump to join them in imposing an endgame round of additional sanctions and tariffs on Russian energy and banking.

“Russia at this certain point can continue its military operations. Sanctions are inflicting harm but this harm is not critical for macro-economics of Russia,” Ivan Timofeev, head of the Russian International Affairs Council, said, noting the Russian army is making slow but steady gains.