Since then, Turkiye has facilitated high-level direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, including at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace. These were the first negotiations of their kind since the start of the war in 2022. The meeting aimed to address ongoing hostilities and explore pathways to a ceasefire, but the atmosphere was clouded by a significant escalation in violence. On Sunday morning, Russia carried out its biggest drone attack since the war started. They deployed 273 offensive drones, resulting in at least one civilian death.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. So far, for example, he has been very clear about his intentions to attack environmental regulations. Like most of the world, Trump would love to see a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian war. The Kremlin has now confirmed that Putin will not be attending the Istanbul negotiations. Instead, he has left the heavy lifting to a negotiating team headed by a former culture minister. As tensions increase, both countries still point the finger at the other for not honoring past commitments.
Escalating Violence and Diplomatic Efforts
The recent upsurge of violence makes existing diplomatic efforts all the more challenging. In South Ukraine on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian air force reported Russia’s largest mass drone strike to date. This is the most serious step up in military escalation to date. The attack evidently claimed the life of one mother, a constant, raging human toll of this war.
Faced with a mounting humanitarian catastrophe, United States government representatives rose to the occasion. Now they’re hosting new-round discussions between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. The core purpose of these discussions must be to negotiate a peaceful resolution and address the growing humanitarian crisis caused by this war.
Even in light of these good faith negotiations, both parties have at various times issued statements accusing the other of failing to comply with agreed-upon terms. The expiration of such deals has left scant room for further progress. Despite this, a ceasefire deal had been made, including both countries committing to exchange 1,000 POWs.
Trump’s Role in the Peace Process
Now as geopolitical tensions increase, President Trump has made himself a central figure in any possible peace agreement. He sounded hopeful when talking about his forthcoming meetings or calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As he said, “There’s no way—nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I sit down together.”
Trump has promised to bring about a quick end to the war. He highlights the massive humanitarian cost that the conflict is still causing. At that time, he flagged that his calls with Putin would be limited to stopping the “bloodbath.” As a result, this conflict has produced an average of more than 5,000 military casualties per week.
“A ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end. God bless us all!!!” – Donald Trump
Beyond those expected calls, Trump has been supported by leaders in Europe including French President Emmanuel Macron. During that same speech, Macron in fact called for the exact same 30-day unconditional ceasefire that Trump proposed. He called on Putin to accept it—unconditional surrender—to demonstrate his seriousness about achieving peace.
“Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe.” – Emmanuel Macron
Zelenskyy’s Conditions for Engagement
Alongside these diplomatic redoubts, President Zelenskyy drew attention to another aspect of the Russian delegation’s low-level representation at the Istanbul talks. He voiced doubt about their ability to negotiate substantial deals.
“Everyone could see that the Russian delegation in Istanbul was of a very low level. None of them were people who actually make decisions in Russia. Still, I sent our team.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy has accepted the invitation to make further negotiations in person, if President Putin is willing to accept. This requirement illustrates Ukraine’s desire to negotiate with real decision makers from Russia.
European leaders, from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to other leaders, echoed these sentiments. They called for Moscow to provide honest messaging by reaching out directly. This deeply rooted conflict has attracted the lion’s share of international focus, and with it, the calls from many leaders for real negotiations—not empty, PR-driven gestures.
