US President Donald Trump began a call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday, the latest step in his efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. The call was underway, according to Russia's state-run Tass news service, which said the Kremlin would brief reporters after it was completed.

Trump had announced the call earlier on social media, writing: "Will speak with President Putin of Russia at 10:00 a.m. Thank you!" The president is also likely to call his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The call follows the Trump administration's decision earlier this week to temporarily halt the transfer of artillery shells and air defenses to Ukraine, a move that caught Kyiv and its allies by surprise. The US decision came days after Russia pounded Ukraine with record-breaking airstrikes in a war now in its fourth year.

Previous: Zelenskiy to Discuss US Arms Cut with Trump

The White House said the arms cut came after a review of US ammunition stockpiles and concerns that they had fallen too low. Among the weapons being cut are 155mm artillery shells and Patriot air defense batteries. The weapons are vital to Ukraine as it seeks to fend off deadly Russian drone and missile attacks.

Trump took office promising to end the war in Ukraine quickly but the effort has failed to gain traction, with Putin rejecting calls to halt the fighting and refusing requests to meet Zelenskiy in person. Low-level discussions between Russia and Ukraine have seen prisoner exchanges but have not secured a major breakthrough in ending the war.

Trump has grown increasingly frustrated, sometimes suggesting he would abandon his efforts if he did not believe the two countries were serious about seeking peace. That prospect has worried Kyiv's allies, who worry that Trump might abandon Ukraine. Trump has also been unwilling to pledge US support for a potential security force to help maintain a future ceasefire. The US president has indicated he will not renew US military support for Ukraine, which is due to expire this summer.

In their last phone call last month, Trump and Putin also discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran. Russia is an ally of the Islamic Republic, and Putin has offered to act as a mediator in the Middle East, where tensions over Iran's nuclear program remain high even after Trump brokered a ceasefire with Israel. (alg)

Source: Bloomberg