On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump had a productive phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where both leaders agreed to initiate negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Beyond Ukraine, Trump and Putin discussed various topics including the Middle East, Artificial Intelligence (AI), energy, and other global issues. Trump revealed that both leaders had decided to immediately begin talks, with a focus on reaching a resolution in Ukraine. He also mentioned that their first step would be to contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to inform him about the call.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump shared that he had tasked a team of US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador Steve Witkoff, to spearhead the negotiations. He expressed strong confidence in the success of these efforts.
Describing the call as “lengthy and productive,” Trump noted that both he and Putin reflected on the historical ties between their countries, recalling their successful collaboration during World War II, and emphasized the potential benefits of future cooperation. Trump also underscored their shared goal of ending the devastating conflict that has led to countless casualties.
“We both strongly believe in ‘COMMON SENSE’,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We agreed to work closely together, including visiting each other’s countries. Our teams will start negotiations immediately, beginning with a call to President Zelenskyy.”
Trump also expressed his gratitude toward Putin for both the phone call and the release of American citizen Marc Fogel, who was recently freed by Russia. “I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release of Marc Fogel. I personally greeted him last night at the White House, and I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon,” Trump added.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing since February 2022. In December 2024, Putin indicated his willingness to engage in discussions with Trump over a potential compromise on the Ukraine issue, suggesting he was open to talks at any time.
Previously, Putin had congratulated Trump on his 2024 presidential election victory, expressing Russia’s readiness for dialogue with the newly elected US president.