(NewsNation) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to speak with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to hear more about Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about a ceasefire and to discuss the next steps.
During Tuesday’s call, Putin agreed to an immediate pause in strikes against energy infrastructure but stopped short of backing a 30-day pause in fighting that the Trump administration is pressing for.
The White House described the limited ceasefire as the first step in a “movement to peace” that it hopes will include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and eventually a full and lasting end to the fighting.
Former national security adviser John Bolton suggested that this isn’t a ceasefire, but rather a “30-day retargeting from the Russian point of view.”
He added that this move shows why Putin wanted a direct conversation with Trump and did not want foreign ministers to discuss negotiations or want to discuss it with Ukraine or Europe.
Bolton said Trump has been placed in the center of the situation; the Russians and Ukrainians both speak to him, while the Europeans are largely ignored. He believes this boosts Trump’s confidence that he is the one who can make a deal. However, whether that actually happens is still uncertain.