President Donald Trump is hoping separate phone calls Monday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make progress toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. Trump expressed his hopes for a "productive day" Monday – and a ceasefire – in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders.

"It is preferable to achieve our goals through political and diplomatic means, of course," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media on Monday, adding that Russia "highly valued" Washington's attempts to end the fighting as he called the Putin-Trump call – scheduled for 5 pm Moscow time – "important" following last week's talks with Ukraine in Istanbul.

Le Monde with AP and AFP