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U.S. President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the morning of the 16th to address the issue of ending the conflict in Ukraine. Throughout the call, Trump shared on his social media site Truth Social, “I am currently speaking with President Putin,” and mentioned, “The conversation is lasting for a long time, and once it ends, President Putin and I will reveal the outcomes. I thank you for your attention to this issue.” Trump, who recently facilitated a truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip, is now increasing his diplomatic initiatives to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The discussion took place one day prior to the U.S.-Ukraine summit.

Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on the 17th. Previously, he suggested the potential for the U.S. backing Ukraine’s bid for Tomahawk cruise missiles, urging Putin to address his suggestion. The Tomahawk missile can travel up to 2,500 km, allowing Ukraine to target locations deep within Russia, including Moscow. Russia strongly objected to this, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noting, “If Ukraine receives Tomahawks, the U.S.-Russia relationship will be permanently harmed.” Trump also obtained India’s commitment to stop buying Russian oil as part of the pressure on Russia.

Following the call with Putin, Trump called it “a very productive discussion” and said he was confident that “success in the Middle East will also aid talks to conclude the Russia-Ukraine conflict.” He mentioned, “We have decided to hold a high-level U.S.-Russia meeting next week, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio,” and “I will then meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary—a location both sides agreed upon—to talk about whether we can end this ‘dishonorable’ war.” Trump said, “I think today’s call represented meaningful advancement,” and “Tomorrow, I will meet with Zelenskyy to discuss the results of the call and other issues.”