Trump and Putin agree to begin Ukraine peace talks ‘immediately’
Putin and Trump shakes hands at G20 Summit, in Osaka, Japan, Jun. 28, 2019. (AA Photo)
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a “lengthy and highly productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, during which both leaders agreed to “immediately” begin negotiations to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump shared the update on Truth Social, noting that both he and Putin extended invitations to visit each other’s countries.
“We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects,” Trump said.
Trump also said they each talked about the strengths of their nations and the “great benefit” that they will someday have to work together.
‘Agreed work to together’
He added that he would be contacting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “right now” to inform him about the call.
“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, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said the call lasted nearly one-and-a-half hours, with both leaders agreeing that “the time has come to work together,” indicating that a long-term solution to the war may be within reach.
Trump had previously pledged to end the Ukraine war before taking office and has been advocating for a peace settlement. He had remained tight-lipped until now about any potential discussions with Putin.
Signs of a thaw between the U.S. and Russia emerged earlier this week with a prisoner swap that saw Moscow release U.S. teacher Marc Fogel while Washington freed Russian cryptocurrency magnate Alexander Vinnik.
Cautious statement from Russia
The Kremlin’s statement was more cautious, on the other hand, with Putin agreeing with Trump that “a long-term settlement could be reached through peace negotiations.”
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “President Trump spoke in favor of stopping hostilities as soon as possible and solving the problem by peaceful means.” However, Peskov also noted that any settlement would need to “address the root causes of the conflict,” without providing further details.
Trump stated that he had asked U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff “to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.”
‘No one wants peace more than we do’
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he had a “meaningful conversation” with U.S. President Trump, discussing opportunities for peace and collaboration to counter Russian aggression.
Trump called Zelenskyy shortly after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.
“I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We long talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine’s technological capabilities—including drones and other advanced industries,” Zelenskyy wrote in a statement on X.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to Trump for showing interest in Ukraine’s potential and said the leaders also touched on his earlier meeting with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessen in Kyiv.
“President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin,” Zelenskyy added, emphasizing that Ukraine is eager for peace. “No one wants peace more than we do.”
He said that Ukraine and the U.S. are coordinating their next steps to halt Russian aggression and achieve a lasting, reliable peace. “As President Trump said, let’s get it done,” Zelenskyy stated.
The Ukrainian president also confirmed that he and Trump agreed to stay in contact and plan future meetings.
