Trump plans direct talks with Putin amid Russia’s record drone assault on Ukraine; Vatican offers to host ceasefire summit.

Ceasefire Prospects Amid Record Violence

President Donald Trump has announced plans to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, as diplomatic momentum builds toward a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. The announcement came just hours before Russia launched its largest drone assault since the war began, deploying 273 drones against Ukrainian targets in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions.

Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 88 drones and electronically jamming 128 others. The attack killed at least one person and injured several, including a young child, according to regional officials. It marked a sharp escalation in hostilities at a moment when world leaders were gathering in Rome for peace discussions and the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV.

“Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. He confirmed back-to-back calls with Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and NATO leaders to discuss a potential truce and related trade issues.

Diplomatic Engagements in Rome

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. delegation in Rome and met with Zelenskyy at the U.S. ambassador’s residence on Sunday. Rubio confirmed that the Vatican has offered to host ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing that the Holy See could provide a neutral and respected venue for high-level or technical negotiations.

“It would be a site that all parties would feel comfortable. So hopefully we’ll get to that stage where talks are happening on a regular basis,” Rubio told CBS’ *Face the Nation*. He added that recent diplomatic interactions, while limited, had yielded humanitarian gains including a prisoner exchange agreement involving 1,000 captives from each side.

Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after President Putin failed to attend a scheduled meeting with Zelenskyy in Turkey. He said both sides are now preparing documents that outline their respective terms for a ceasefire and hoped those would reflect “serious and viable” proposals.

“We’re testing whether this is genuine or just delay tactics,” Rubio said. “There has to be some progress, some movement forward. If both sides are realistic and rational, then we can feel good about continuing to remain engaged.”

Rubio also supported Trump’s call for a direct meeting with Putin, which he said could be critical to breaking the deadlock. “The president wants to do it as soon as feasible. The Russian side has also expressed willingness. Now it’s just a question of bringing everyone together,” he said.

Zelenskyy, in a post on X, said Ukraine remains committed to “real diplomacy” and underscored the urgency of a “full and unconditional ceasefire.” He also emphasized the need for increased pressure on Moscow, including sanctions and defense cooperation with allies.

After meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Vice President Vance reaffirmed U.S. unity with European allies. “Of course, we have some disagreements, as friends sometimes do, but we have many things we can work on together,” Vance said.

As Monday’s scheduled calls approach, global attention remains focused on whether Trump’s direct diplomacy can lead to a breakthrough in one of the world’s deadliest and most destabilizing conflicts.