Trump still optimistic he will persuade Putin to do a deal

Putin shows absolutely no interest in ending the war in Ukraine. But Donald Trump who announced he will be phoning Putin on Monday, remains convinced that the Russian leader is ready for a deal. Russia is now such a war economy that even if the confict in Ukraine were to come to an end, the military build-up is not going to stop and it will give Putin ideas about future "special operations". But Trump is optimistic Putin really is anxious for a deal and if he wants to stay in the good books of the US president, he might just play ball. It would be an amazing achievement if, under pressure from Trump, Putin caved in and went for peace. But the signs are not good. Only today a Russian drone attack killed a busload of civilians in Ukraine. So, even while the presidents talk on the phone, the killing will go on. This is the reality of the world today. It's the same in Gaza. Lots of talk about ceasefires and peace and hostage releases, but every day the killings go on. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have to stop. The sooner the better.