U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had a "long and productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, and both agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Trump posted on the Truth Social platform that he and President Putin "have agreed to have our teams begin immediate negotiations" and invited each other to visit their respective capitals, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic efforts.
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02-23, 2025Subsequently, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that he spoke with Trump about a "lasting and reliable peace." Meanwhile, both Trump and his Secretary of Defense have indicated that Ukraine is unlikely to join NATO, which is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Kyiv. Zelenskyy stated that he will meet with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Ukraine Defense Summit in Munich on Friday, seeking further clarification on the U.S. position.
Trump wrote on social media: "It's time to stop this ridiculous war, which is causing massive and totally unnecessary death and destruction. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!" He did not specify a date for a face-to-face meeting with Putin but later told reporters at the White House: "We will meet in Saudi Arabia." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin supports Trump's idea that now is the time to work together. Peskov said that Putin's call with Trump lasted nearly an hour and a half, during which the Russian president extended an invitation to visit Moscow, demonstrating a willingness to engage in dialogue.
Trump also told reporters at the White House that Ukraine is unlikely to return to its pre-2014 borders, but in answering a question from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), he stated that "some land will be returned." The president said he agreed with the view of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who said earlier on Thursday at the NATO summit that Ukraine is unlikely to join the military alliance. "I think that's probably true," Trump said, reinforcing concerns about Ukraine's future security arrangements.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized that "there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine's participation" – but Trump's call with Putin took place in his absence. Zelenskyy stated that his call with Trump was a "meaningful conversation" on various issues, and he also met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, who is visiting Kyiv. "No one desires peace more than Ukraine. Together with the United States, we are planning our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting and reliable peace," Zelenskyy wrote. The Ukrainian leader added: "We agreed to stay in touch and plan upcoming meetings." According to Agence France-Presse, the call between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders lasted an hour.
In a Guardian interview published on Tuesday, Zelenskyy suggested that, as part of a peace deal, Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory could be exchanged for Ukrainian-controlled territory in Russia's Kursk region. He also insisted that the United States, and not just European countries, needs to be involved in any security guarantee plan for his country. "Security guarantees without the United States are not real security guarantees," he said, underscoring the importance of U.S. involvement in the peace process.
After Ukraine's pro-Russian president was overthrown in 2014, Moscow annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and supported pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in bloody fighting. Nearly three years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the conflict erupted into a full-scale war. Moscow's attempt to control Kyiv was thwarted, but Russian forces have occupied about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory in the east and south and have carried out airstrikes across the country. Ukraine has retaliated with artillery and drone strikes and ground offensives targeting Russia's Kursk region, escalating the conflict further.
Accurate casualty figures are difficult to obtain due to the secrecy of the Russian and Ukrainian governments, but it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people, most of them soldiers, have been killed or injured, and millions of Ukrainian civilians have fled as refugees. The human cost of the conflict continues to be devastating, with long-term consequences for both nations.
