Trump and Zelenskiy's Conversation Sparks Hope for Ceasefire

President Donald Trump engaged in a 'very good and productive' phone conversation with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to the White House. The discussion centered around the aspirations for Ukraine and Russia to commit to a 30-day ceasefire agreement next week.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a recent briefing that despite these discussions, President Trump is not scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Middle East next week. In Kyiv, Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, noted conversations with U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, about the ceasefire.

Yermak emphasized that the ceasefire and peace prospects were the primary topics. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, as well as Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, participated in the talks. He reiterated the significance of implementing agreements made by both presidents.

(With inputs from agencies.)