A potential turning point in the war in Ukraine may be on the horizon, as U.S. President Donald Trump revealed he could speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, and Russia confirmed it is open to talks with the United States "within the next few days."
“We do not rule out contacts with U.S. representatives within the next few days,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on March 11 via Russian state media.
Trump told reporters on Monday that a major meeting with Russian officials was being planned, and expressed hope that Moscow would agree to a temporary ceasefire, which Ukraine has already accepted in principle.
“It takes two for tango, as I have already said, so I hope he [Putin] will also agree… I think that would be 75% of the way — the rest is getting it documented,” Trump said from the White House.
He added that talks were expected to take place later in the day and into tomorrow, stressing the urgency of reaching a deal.
“If we can get Russia to do it, that'll be great. If we can't, we just keep going on — and people are going to get killed. Lots of people.”
Ceasefire Talks Regain Momentum
The renewed push for a truce comes after a tense Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in late February, which led to a temporary halt in military aid and intelligence sharing from the U.S.
However, over the weekend, talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between U.S. and Ukrainian officials helped breathe new life into the process.
Ukraine’s Presidential Office said Kyiv had accepted Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.
That move prompted the White House to lift its pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine, signaling a possible reset in relations after weeks of strain.
Earlier on Monday, Russian officials reported that Ukraine had carried out the largest drone attack on Moscow since the full-scale war began.
