**European Leaders to Talk with Trump Before Putin Call**
In a move aimed at coordinating their stance ahead of the planned phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, European leaders will speak with Trump before the conversation, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The announcement comes as Trump has said he plans to talk with Putin on May 19, following which he will hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The goal of the discussions is to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, a step that the Kremlin has resisted since the US first proposed a 30-day truce in March.
**Preparatory Calls**
Merz said on May 18 that French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and himself will speak with Trump before the Putin call. This move is aimed at coordinating their stance ahead of the conversation, Merz told reporters from the Vatican.
“We have now agreed that we will talk again — the four heads of state and government and the American president in preparation for this conversation,” Merz said, adding, “We can only hope that now there will be further progress (towards a ceasefire).”
**Background on Ceasefire Talks**
Ukraine accepted an unconditional 30-day ceasefire when Washington first proposed it on March 11. However, Russia rejected the proposal and continued its attacks. The Kremlin has resisted the ceasefire despite Trump’s support for the proposal and his promise to impose sanctions if Russia did not agree.
In a previous attempt at negotiating a ceasefire, Putin invited Ukraine to direct peace talks in Istanbul on May 15. However, Trump quickly urged Ukraine to accept the invitation, saying that a ceasefire could potentially be negotiated in Turkey and that he might also join the talks.
**Failed Peace Talks**
The Istanbul peace talks failed to produce a ceasefire agreement. The talks were attended by lower-level aides from Russia, but not Putin himself. Despite this, Russia launched a record-setting drone attack against Ukraine overnight on May 18.
This latest move by European leaders demonstrates their continued effort to coordinate their stance and push for a ceasefire in Ukraine. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will bear fruit.
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