WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said that he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone Wednesday about ending the war in Ukraine and that Putin indicated he would be willing to negotiate directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"As we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine," Trump wrote on Truth Social about their first known call of his second term.
"We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations," he added. "We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately."
Trump said he tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, cIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff with leading negotiations with Russia.
Putin adviser Dmitry Peskov said the phone conversation lasted about 90 minutes.
"The topic of the Middle East settlement, the Iranian nuclear program, and bilateral Russian-American relations in the economic area were talked about during the conversation," he said in a statement.
Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow, Peskov said, "and expressed readiness to receive American officials in Russia regarding areas of mutual interest, including, of course, the topic of Ukrainian settlement. Putin and Trump also agreed to continue personal contacts, including setting up a personal meeting."
Trump later confirmed that he had spoken to Zelenskyy, saying in another post on Truth Social that the discussion “went very well” and that Zelenskyy also wants peace. Trump said a meeting related to the war, led by Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, would take place Friday in Munich.
“I am hopeful that the results of that meeting will be positive. It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUcTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!” he wrote.
Zelenskyy said on X that he had a "meaningful conversation" with Trump. "No one wants peace more than Ukraine," he wrote. "Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done."
Earlier Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a visit to NATO's headquarters in Brussels that it's "unrealistic" for Ukraine to return to its borders before Russia invaded its crimea region in 2014. He also signaled that the United States wouldn't support Ukraine's joining NATO as part of a negotiated deal to end the war.
The Trump administration also helped secure the release of American teacher Marc Fogel from Russia on Tuesday in exchange for the release of Alexander Vinnik, a convicted money launderer who is in U.S. custody and was awaiting transportation back to Russia by the end of the week. Russia had detained Fogel for 3½ years after he was arrested for possessing medical marijuana.
Trump suggested Sunday that he had already spoken to Putin — which would have been their first known call since 2022 — though Peskov said Sunday that he would “neither confirm nor deny” that a conversation took place.
Ukraine-Russia relations have remained tense since the war began in February 2022.
Last month, Zelenskyy said on X, “Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war." The comment came in response to Putin's telling a Russian state broadcaster that Zelenskyy “has no right to sign anything” because of his “illegitimacy.”
The resurrection of a potentially positive U.S.-Russia relationship is a departure from the last four years. The Biden administration imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia over the last three years, and President Joe Biden also authorized numerous aid packages to Ukraine to provide both humanitarian assistance and weapons and equipment.
It's unclear whether the Republican-led congress will continue supporting legislative aid packages to Ukraine, as many GOP lawmakers have opposed continuing to fund the U.S. effort to defend Ukraine, a close ally. Even in the last congress, divisions among GOP lawmakers significant delayed deliveries of weapons to Ukraine.
Trump has for years, including Wednesday, claimed that the war never would have happened had he been president at the time of the invasion. On the campaign trail, including in a meeting with Zelenskyy in September, he repeatedly said he would negotiate a deal between Russia and Ukraine that's "good for both sides." Last month, he also suggested that Ukraine shouldn't have fought back against Russia's invasion.
He has also said he would end the war before his second term began or on the first day of his new administration.
