Trump and Putin speak by phone and agree to ‘start negotiations immediately’ on ending war in Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on Wednesday morning.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the two leaders discussed “Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects.”
We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many! We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together.
Trump said that he and Putin agreed to have their “respective teams” begin talks to end the war in Ukraine “immediately”:
[We] will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful. Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end.
He ended his post by thanking Putin for his “time and effort” and for the release of imprisoned American schoolteacher Marc Fogel on Tuesday. “I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!” Trump wrote.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also confirmed that the call took place, saying that it lasted nearly an hour and a half. He noted that Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow.
Sign up for Meduza’s daily newsletter
A digest of Russia’s investigative reports and news analysis. If it matters, we summarize it.