President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday and announced that the two had agreed to “start negotiations immediately” about the Ukraine conflict.
Trump claimed on Truth Social that he had a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” with Putin. It’s the first public phone call between the two men since Trump took office. Trump stated that they discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the dollar, and other topics.
“But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine,” the president wrote. “President Putin even used my very strong campaign slogan, ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both believe strongly in it. We agreed to collaborate closely, including visiting each other’s nations.”
Trump stated that the two leaders agreed to have their teams begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, which began approximately three years ago when Russian forces invaded the country.
Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shortly after hanging up the phone with Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainian president stated that the two leaders “discussed opportunities for peace, our willingness to collaborate at the team level, and Ukraine’s technological capabilities—including drones and other advanced industries.”
“I am grateful to President Trump for his interest in what we can accomplish together,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
“No one wants peace more than Ukraine,” he said. “Together with the United States, we are planning our next steps to halt Russian aggression and ensure a long-term, dependable peace. As President Trump stated, “Let us get it done.”
Trump said negotiations would be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz, and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
“There should be no more lives lost! I’d like to thank President Putin for his time and effort on this call, as well as for the release of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man whom I personally greeted at the White House last night,” Trump wrote.
The call came one day after the release of Marc Fogel, an American citizen who had been imprisoned in Russia for more than three years. The United States is expected to release Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering last year.
When asked in recent weeks whether he had spoken with Putin, Trump declined to say whether the two leaders were in contact.
The president campaigned on a promise to end the conflict in Ukraine, which has raged since Russian forces invaded the country in February 2022. At one point, he claimed he would be able to end the war before taking office.
The president’s call to Putin suggests that negotiations may be intensifying.
Trump and his congressional allies have expressed concerns about the United States’ continued support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, with the president suggesting that Europe should play a more central role in assisting Kyiv.
At the same time, last month, Trump threatened Moscow with sanctions if it did not come to the table to negotiate a ceasefire.
Vice President Vance is scheduled to meet with Zelensky this week during his trip to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was also dispatched to Ukraine to meet with Zelensky as the US seeks increased access to Ukraine’s critical minerals.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO and Ukrainian defense ministers earlier Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement with Russia would make it “unrealistic” for Ukraine to return to its pre-2014 borders. Moscow seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, sparking international outrage.
