Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are set to discuss a ceasefire deal on Tuesday, the US president said.
Donald Trump has said he will speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, and they will discuss “dividing up certain assets” to reach an agreement.
The US president disclosed the upcoming conversation to reporters on Sunday evening, saying that land and power plants are part of the conversation around bringing the war to a close.
“We will see if we have something to announce, maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday,” Trump said. "A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.”
It comes as Putin continues to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
Although Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, the Russian president has said Ukraine must agree to give up its ambitions of joining Nato and cede territory to Russia before any pause in hostilities.
## Trump pleads with Putin to spare lives of 'vulnerable' Ukrainian troops## 'Sooner or later' Putin will have to 'come to the table', Starmer says
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Putin of seeking to “delay” a ceasefire, while French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Russian president “does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace".
But on Sunday, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who recently visited Moscow to advance negotiations, insisted that Putin was making “a constructive effort” and that the upcoming call with Trump showed there was “positive momentum”.
Meanwhile, military chiefs from the “coalition of the willing” convened by Starmer and Macron will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with the leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and Nato, the prime minister said there had been “new commitments” offered and planning would now move into an “operational phase”.
From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below...
But it remains unclear which nations have committed troops to a peacekeeping operation, while several have suggested such talks are premature given the lack of a ceasefire.
Putin is also likely to object to any agreement that involves European or Nato troops being stationed in Ukraine, although Zelenskyy sees this as essential to deterring future Russian aggression.
Ukraine's army stunned Russia in August last year by attacking across the border and taking control of an estimated 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of land, but Ukraine’s forces are now in retreat - meaning Ukraine has all but lost a valuable bargaining chip, as momentum builds for a ceasefire with Russia.
On Friday, Russia claimed control of Sudzha, the largest town that Ukraine had occupied in the Kursk region.
Ukraine is also battling under growing pressure in its eastern Donetsk region, where Russian troops have been advancing for months.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...