Putin and Trump Plan In-Person Meeting After Lengthy Phone Call
Moscow and Washington announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump held a 90-minute phone conversation on Wednesday, discussing the Ukraine conflict and potential peace negotiations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the call, stating, “The Russian president has invited the U.S. president to visit Moscow.” He added that Putin expressed readiness to receive U.S. officials in the Russian capital.
Trump shared his thoughts on the conversation via a post on Truth Social, saying, “I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.”
‘Negotiations to Begin’
The leaders focused on the situation in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution. According to Peskov, Trump embraced a quick ceasefire, while Putin highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of the conflict.
“We want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump stated. “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.”
Trump mentioned plans to contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to inform him of the conversation. He also named U.S. officials to lead the negotiation team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
“I feel strongly that the negotiations between the United States and Russia will be successful,” Trump added.
‘Extensive and Substantive’ Dialogue
The Kremlin described the conversation as an “extensive and substantive dialogue” covering various topics beyond Ukraine, such as the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear program, and economic relations between Russia and the U.S.
Peskov noted that both leaders agreed to maintain personal contact and are arranging a future meeting. Trump later told reporters they plan to meet in Saudi Arabia, without providing a specific date, and also intend to visit each other’s countries.
Ukraine Unlikely to Join NATO
Following the call with Putin, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. “I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media platform X. “We talked about opportunities to achieve peace and discussed our readiness to work together.”
Trump expressed agreement with his Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, who suggested at a NATO summit that Ukraine is unlikely to join the military alliance in the near future. “I think that’s probably true,” Trump said.
Hegseth indicated that the U.S. aims for Europe to take on more financial and military responsibilities for Ukraine’s defense, emphasizing that NATO membership for Ukraine might not be a realistic outcome at this time.
UN Welcomes Peace Efforts
The United Nations expressed support for efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “We welcome any efforts to resolve the war that involve both sides,” said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He described the conversation between Putin and Trump as “a positive thing.”
When asked about the UN’s potential role in negotiations, Haq responded, “We would have to see what role we would play. The United Nations is willing to offer its good offices if asked by the parties.”
