WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Trump is resuming his efforts to end Russia's war on Ukraine. The president spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone on Thursday.
The two leaders agreed to a second one-on-one meeting set for Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks. But first, Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today in Washington.
"I thought it was a very good phone call. Very productive," Trump said, describing his high-stakes phone call with Putin.
They reportedly discussed efforts to end the war ahead of Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy, with Trump making it clear that achieving peace in this war is very hard.
"We have a problem. They don't get along too well, those two. We may do something separate, separate but equal," he said regarding a group meeting.
Because it's hard to get Putin and Zelenskyy in a room together, President Trump and his team are planning to meet two weeks from now with Putin in Budapest.
Meanwhile, he is expecting Zelenskyy to ask for the U.S. to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk Missiles, which have the offensive capability of striking deep inside Russia.
Trump explained that to Putin.
"I did actually say, 'Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?' I said it to him just that way. He didn't like the idea," Trump said.
Zelenskyy believes the missiles would compel Putin to have direct talks with him and Trump to negotiate a ceasefire more seriously.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the President is working very hard to keep the peace in the Middle East as well as broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Leavitt says 'great progress' was made on the Trump-Putin call. "President Putin congratulated President Trump for solving the conflict in Israel and Gaza, and bringing peace to the Middle East. He also thanked the First Lady for her efforts to bring back children and save children in this brutal conflict," she said.
First Lady Melania Trump has been in direct communication with Putin to help release 8- of 50,000 Ukrainian children held in Russia since the war began.
"I hope peace is achieved soon. It can begin with our children," she said.
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