Special envoy of the Donald Trump administration, Steven Vitkoff, expressed confidence that the telephonic conversation scheduled for May 19 between the Presidents of the United States and Russia — Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin — will be genuinely successful and bring positive results for both sides
In an interview with ABC, he stated that this conversation could help resolve a number of pressing misunderstandings and elevate bilateral relations to a new level. When asked about the expected outcomes of the upcoming call, Vitkoff noted that this dialogue will allow us "to get to where we need to go," as it will be an important component in overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. "I believe this will be a very successful call," he emphasized. According to him, the US leader has the resolve and willingness to reach a compromise on the issues currently on the agenda. Vitkoff highlighted that the American side aims to "narrow the broad gap" in relations with Russia, and he stated that some progress has already been made in this direction. "To some extent, we have already managed to reduce tensions," he added, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic dialogue. The special envoy underlined that it is not necessary to overestimate the level of awareness of both sides' positions — each insists on its own point of view, and the upcoming phone conversation will be a milestone in determining the future direction of negotiations. "I think Monday will be an important day for understanding where we stand and what the final point of these negotiations will be," Vitkoff concluded. It is worth noting that the scheduled call for May 19 is planned for 10:00 a.m. Washington time, which corresponds to 5:00 p.m. Kyiv time. It is expected that the main topic of this conversation will be the cessation of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been ongoing for many years and involves complex diplomatic and security aspects. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations for the phone call between Putin and Trump are underway, expressing hope that the dialogue will be constructive and will help to reduce tensions in interstate relations. At the same time, Trump previously announced that after the conversation with Putin, he plans to contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO allies to clarify positions and determine further steps for conflict resolution. Overall, this diplomatic step is anticipated to become one of the key events in international relations concerning the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the tension between the US and Russia. However, many experts emphasize that the results of such a conversation will depend on both sides’ willingness to make compromises and seek common interests to ensure stability in the region.