Trump kicks off 18th week in office with high-stakes bid to broker Ukraine, Russia peace

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President Donald Trump returned from his four-day trip to the Middle East, and plans to kick off his week back on U.S. soil with phone calls to help negotiate a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. 

Trump spent the weekend in Washington, D.C., after returning from visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He received a warm welcome in each country, and came home with a bevy of deals, including a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as a "strategic economic partnership" with Saudi Arabia for energy, defense, mining and space-based agreements that amount to $600 billion.

This week, political eyes are locked on Eastern Europe as Trump lines up phone conversations with Russia and Ukraine slated for Monday morning. 

Trump announced over the weekend that he would personally hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to help broker a deal to end the bloodshed and secure long-term peace. 

"I WILL BE SPEAKING, BY TELEPHONE, TO PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN OF RUSSIA ON MONDAY, AT 10:00 A.M. THE SUBJECTS OF THE CALL WILL BE, STOPPING THE 'BLOODBATH' THAT IS KILLING, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN 5000 RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS A WEEK, AND TRADE," Trump posted to Truth Social on Saturday. 

Trump added that he will then hold talks with Zelenskyy, followed by another call with Zelenskyy and NATO leaders, queuing up a busy Monday schedule. 

ZELENSKYY SHEDS DETAILS ON MEETING WITH VANCE, RUBIO IN ROME AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS STALL

Russian and Ukrainian officials held their first direct peace talks in years last week in Istanbul. The two sides, however, failed to agree to a ceasefire in a war that has raged since February 2022. Russia and Ukraine did agree to a large prisoner swap during the meeting. 

Hours after the meeting, a Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday. 

World leaders traveled to Rome on Sunday for Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass at the Vatican, including Zelenskyy, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The U.S. leaders met with Zelenskyy for a separate meeting, where they discussed efforts to end the war, according to the vice president's office. 

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"The leaders discussed their shared goal of ending the bloodshed in Ukraine and provided updates on the current state of negotiations for a ceasefire and lasting peace," Vance's office said in a statement on Sunday afternoon. 

Zelenskyy posted his own message regarding the meeting on social media on Sunday, slamming Russia for sending "non-decision-makers" to the meeting in Istanbul last week, while also thanking "all American people for the support and leadership in saving lives."

"During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible," Zelenskyy posted. 

"We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange. Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war. And, of course, we talked about our joint steps to achieve a just and durable peace."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to local media that Monday's "conversation is in the works," the BBC reported on Saturday. 

"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. GOD BLESS US ALL!!!" Trump added of the highly-anticipated rounds of phone calls on Monday. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said that nations that have bucked negotiating trade deals with the U.S. in "good faith" could see tariff hikes. 

"President Trump has put them on notice that if you do not negotiate in good faith, that you will ratchet back up to your April 2 level," Bessent said on CNN.  

Trump's April 2 "Liberation Day" trade announcement unveiled his reciprocal tariff plan on dozens of nations as he worked to bring parity to the U.S.' trade deficit. The president issued a 90-day pause to the reciprocal tariffs, except on China, in April as countries requested to make trade deals. Trump administration leaders have since been involved in hashing out trade negotiations before the 90-day pause is lifted in July. 

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Bessent's comments come after Trump slammed Walmart on Saturday for raising prices on consumers amid the tariff rollout. 

"Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain," the president wrote on Truth Social. "Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, 'EAT THE TARIFFS,' and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I'll be watching, and so will your customers!!!"

Congressional Republicans are in the midst of pushing to pass Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which has been touted as significant fiscal reform that would fund the president's agenda. 

REPUBLICANS READY LATE-NIGHT SESSION ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' AFTER GOP MUTINY

Republicans are working to pass it through the budget reconciliation process, and have set a Memorial Day deadline for its passage. With just one working week left before the summer holiday weekend, House Budget Committee members were summoned to Congress on Sunday night to begin their work to pass the bill. 

The bill was thrown into turmoil last week when four members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, alongside Democrats, voted against advancing the legislation. The four conservatives took issue with the legislation's crackdown on Medicaid, and also worked to repeal Biden-era green-energy tax subsidies. 

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.