Trump to talk to Putin about 'dividing up assets' in Ukraine, and says he'll have 'something to announce by Tuesday'

17 March 2025, 10:17

Donald Trump is set to talk to Vladimir Putin about "dividing up certain assets" in Ukraine and said he should have "something to announce by Tuesday".

Mr Trump said that the call with the Russian president was scheduled for Tuesday, adding that "a lot of work's been done over the weekend".

"We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," the US president told reporters on Air Force One.

He said territory and infrastructure would form the basis of his talks with Putin.

"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," adding that the discussions would focus on "dividing up certain assets."

The Kremlin has so far rejected calls for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, with Sir Keir Starmer accusing Putin of “delaying” peace, while French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Russian president "does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.”

Despite this failure to agree a deal, the White House has insisted Putin is making "a constructive effort" and that the upcoming call with Trump showed there was "positive momentum".

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Speaking from Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump said he hopes tomorrow’s conversation will bring the war “to an end.”

He said: "We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday.

"A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end."

The call comes ahead of talks between military chiefs, dubbed the “coalition of the willing”, on Thursday.

Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and Nato, Sir Keir said there had been "new commitments" offered and planning would now move into an "operational phase".

"Stop and agree to a ceasefire now", he said.

"We won’t sit back and wait for Putin to act, instead we will keep pushing forward".

Sir Keir said that the coalition will put pressure on Russia and "weaken their war machine" if Putin rejects a peace deal.

"President Zelenskyy has shown once again and without any doubt that Ukraine is the party of peace... but Putin is trying to delay, saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place.

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"But the world needs action. My message is very clear, Putin will have to come to the table, so this is the moment, let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine stop once and for all," he continued.

Sir Keir said Russia's "appetite for conflict and chaos undermines our security at home here in the United Kingdom".

As leaders meet and talks continue, fighting rages on in Ukraine, with a leaked Kyiv report claiming at least 70,000 Ukrainians had died since Putin launched his invasion.