Trump and Putin's crucial call: Odesa's future hangs in the balance
Donald Trump will speak by phone with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Both leaders are expected to discuss halting hostilities in Ukraine and dividing assets. The New York Times reports that Kyiv fears Trump might cede the strategic port of Odesa to Putin.
According to the Russian government agency Ria Novosti, the call between Trump and Putin will occur between 12 and 2 PM Eastern Time. During Trump's first term, the two leaders spoke by phone 19 times and met six times.
This time, politicians are expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and halt the fighting. Over the past weekend, officials from both countries reportedly ironed out many details concerning the ceasefire terms, including the division of territory and power plants. Media reports indicate that the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia might fall into Moscow's hands.
"We're doing pretty well, I think, with Russia," Donald Trump said recently. The U.S. President added, "we have a very good chance" of achieving a ceasefire.
On March 13, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump stated that discussions with Ukraine occurred regarding the areas they would cede and those they would keep. He also mentioned that several aspects of the final agreement had already been determined.
Odesa for the Russians?
Trump was careful not to specify which parts of Ukrainian territory were discussed or whether he would attempt to curb Putin's ambitions. The Trump administration has already made it clear that it expects Russia to control the areas where its troops already have command, roughly 20% of Ukraine. However, according to the NYT, advisors to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last month that they fear Trump might fulfill Putin's other wishes concerning parts of Ukraine, possibly including the critical port in Odesa.
The newspaper highlighted the remarks of Michael Waltz, Trump's national security advisor. A few days ago, Waltz stated on NBC that talks with Russia would be pragmatic.
Special envoy of the U.S. President, Steve Witkoff, also spoke on CBS about potential access to Black Sea ports. Odesa is the largest port in Ukraine, handling grain, coal, wood, and sugar. It is also the third-largest city in Ukraine after Kyiv and Kharkiv. Russian control over the port could lead to a blockade of Ukrainian goods at sea.
