WASHINGTON, March 17, (V7N) – US President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, amid ongoing negotiations over dividing certain assets between the two nations.

US officials expressed optimism about a potential ceasefire agreement in the coming weeks following talks in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv has accepted. However, Putin has yet to confirm his stance, listing conditions and concerns about the proposal.

Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met Putin recently, said he expects a positive discussion between the two leaders and believes a deal could be reached soon. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of stalling for battlefield gains before agreeing to peace.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed implementation steps from the recent US-Russia summit in Riyadh.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Putin’s hesitation, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Zelensky, urging increased sanctions on Russian financial networks to pressure Moscow into peace.

With Russia maintaining momentum in some areas of the battlefield, negotiations remain tense, and world leaders are pushing for a breakthrough to end the three-year conflict.

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