President Trump said Wednesday that he had a “long and productive call” with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, which he characterized as the beginning of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The first confirmed conversation between the two men during Trump's second term, where Trump finds the end of the US-backed war that Russia launched, and in his administration's priorities I made it clear to my advisor that there was something.
“We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar, and a variety of other subjects,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Each of us talked about the strengths of our respective countries and the great benefits that we can bring about working together one day,” Trump added. “But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths happening in the war with Russia/Ukraine.” (In millions, It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of deaths have occurred in the conflict.)
The US president told Ukrainian President Volodymie Zelensky that both countries plan to “ensure that their respective teams begin negotiations soon.” Zelensky's office later said the Ukrainian president had an hour of talk with Trump.
But Trump did not say in a social media post how Zelensky considered him and Putin's moving negotiations. Trump has long been skeptical of Ukraine and has never been warmed to Zelensky.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov told reporters that Putin's call with Trump lasted almost an hour and a half.
He said the two men agreed to hold a personal meeting and Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow. Putin agreed with Trump, “It's time for our country to cooperate,” Peskov said.
In Ukraine, Putin told Trump that “the underlying cause of the conflict needs to be eliminated,” Peskov said. It was a sign that Putin did not accept a simple ceasefire in Ukraine and called for wider concessions from Ukraine and the West before he stopped fighting.
Ukrainians appear to be facing efforts with little leverage. The call between Putin and Trump was told by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegses, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels, that Ukraine's goal was “unrealistic” aim. I came on the same day. It was before Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Hegseth added that the US does not support Ukrainian desire to join NATO as part of a realistic peace plan.
He also suggests that Europe needs to take on a greater role in its own defense, reflecting the points Trump has pointed out over the years.
For Putin, the call is a major milestone, indicating the collapse of Western efforts to diplomatically isolate him after invading Ukraine nearly three years ago. Since Trump's re-election in November, the Russian president has praised Trump, bringing the Kremlin hopes that new American leaders can restructure relations with Moscow and Washington and return to Ukraine's support. It emphasizes.
In response to news of the conversation between Trump and Putin, the UN said on Wednesday it welcomed efforts to negotiate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
“We appreciate the efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine that involves the Russian and Ukraine aspects. Clearly, if both of them are willing to be involved in the process, it will be a welcome development.”
In a social media post, Trump wrote that the US negotiation team will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio. CIA Director John Ratcliffe. His national security adviser, Michael Waltz, and his Middle Eastern envoy, Steve Witkoff. Witkov was in Moscow this week and recovered Mark Vogel, an American school teacher who had been incarcerated in Russia for over three years.
Trump did not mention Keith Kellogg, the retired general whom Trump called himself an envoy for Russia and Ukraine. Kellogg has generally been more positive about Russia than some of Trump's informal advisers, and recently Trump has been forced to increase sanctions on Russia and force it towards a peace deal. I proposed.
Trump repeatedly refused to speak to Putin by Wednesday whether he had spoken to him, but those who knew such a call in the US government were unaware of it.
Trump often did what he praised the Russian president, whom he called himself a “genius” after the 2022 Ukraine invasion. It has not invaded Ukraine.
“He can't be excited. He's not that good,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office Time after he took office. “Russia is bigger and they have more soldiers who lose, but that's not how they run the country.”
Farnaz Fassihi and Julian E. Barnes contributed the report.
