Trump Set to Discuss Russian-Occupied Territories of Ukraine With Putin on March 18

US President Donald Trump announced plans to hold a phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on March 18.

Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One during a flight from Florida to Washington, Trump stated that discussions would focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the status of occupied territories, as well as the future of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

“We want to see if we can bring this war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we cannot, but I believe we have a very good chance,” Trump said, according to Reuters.

He noted that discussions about territorial issues and energy infrastructure have already been ongoing between Ukraine and Russia. “We are talking about this already, about the division of certain assets,” he added.

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently visited Russia and met with Putin, where he reportedly discussed a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. While details of the proposal remain unclear, Trump’s upcoming conversation with Putin is expected to build on these preliminary discussions.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the US and its allies should maintain a firm stance on ceasefire negotiations, urging them to pressure Russia into making the first move.

Speaking in Kyiv on March 15, he highlighted that Ukraine’s diplomatic success in Jeddah had complicated Russia’s position, leaving Moscow to decide whether to pursue peace or continue hostilities. Zelenskyy called for unwavering international support, rejecting any concessions to Russian conditions, and underscored that Ukraine’s security decisions should not be influenced by the Kremlin.