U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday morning in a renewed bid to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine. The call comes days after Trump’s administration suspended shipments of key weapons to Kyiv—an abrupt decision that has shaken Ukraine’s defenses and provoked concern among NATO allies.

Trump’s outreach to Putin follows the Pentagon’s halt of deliveries of 155mm artillery shells and Patriot air-defense systems—crucial assets for Ukraine as it faces intensified Russian drone and missile strikes. The White House claims the freeze is based on low munitions stockpiles, but Kyiv and its backers see it as a political maneuver that weakens Ukraine’s defense posture.

The U.S. president has also signaled he will not renew broader military aid when current support expires this summer, raising fears in Europe that Washington may scale back its commitment to the war.

Ceasefire Push Under Pressure

Trump has positioned himself as the key broker to end the war, which is now in its fourth year. But past mediation attempts have failed to gain traction, with Putin refusing direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While low-level contacts between Russia and Ukraine have led to prisoner exchanges, no political breakthrough has emerged.

Trump has grown visibly frustrated, at times threatening to walk away from the process altogether if he sees no serious engagement from either side. This has unsettled Kyiv, which sees continued U.S. involvement as essential to holding the line against Moscow.

A call between Trump and Zelenskyy is reportedly scheduled for Friday.

Iran, Israel Also in Play

In their last phone call, Trump and Putin also discussed the Israel-Iran conflict, with Putin offering to act as a Middle East mediator. The latest call may include updates on those talks, as tensions remain high despite a brokered truce between Israel and Iran last month.

Observers suggest that Trump is aiming to position himself as the central diplomatic actor across multiple geopolitical flashpoints, even as U.S. allies question his reliability.