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Trump said Russia had lost tens of millions of people in the war and both leaders wanted an end to the nearly three-year war. This came shortly after the US ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine.
Donald Trump said Putin wanted to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war. (Reuters/File)
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he held a “lengthy and productive” call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as part of his efforts to bring an end to the grinding war in Ukraine.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump said they agreed to begin negotiations immediately to end the conflict, beginning by calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects,” he said, reminiscing that Russia and the US fought together in World War II.
Trump said that Russia had lost tens of millions in the war against Ukraine and both of them wanted an end to the “millions of deaths taking place” in the conflict. “President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it,” he said.
Will Putin Visit US?
Trump said he and Putin agreed to work together “very closely”, including visiting each other’s nations, which could mark a big moment in the US-Russia relationship. Both leaders agreed to start negotiations immediately, and Trump said he would call Zelenskyy soon.
“I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful,” he said.
Trump once again reiterated that the war would not have taken place if he was the President, something Putin also agrees with. He also thanked Putin for releasing American schoolteacher Marc Fogel on Tuesday following an unannounced visit to Moscow by US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Notably, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that he had spoken to Putin on the phone to try and negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, adding that the Russian leader “does care” about the killing on the battlefield. However, the Kremlin declined to confirm or deny the phone call.
This is the first time Washington has officially confirmed any communication between Trump and Putin since the US President took office on a pledge to swiftly end the Ukraine fighting.
Earlier, Putin had signalled willingness to direct talks with Ukraine to end nearly three years of fighting. However, he ruled out speaking directly to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him “illegitimate” as his tenure had passed. Trump earlier said American and Russian officials were “already talking” about ending the war.
US Rules Out Ukraine’s NATO Membership
Trump’s remarks came shortly after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States did not see Kyiv’s membership in NATO as realistic in its peace plan for Ukraine.
In his first trip to NATO, Hegseth made the bluntest public statement of the Trump administration’s approach towards the war by declaring that American troops will not be deployed in Ukraine. Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European troops.
Hegseth’s remarks on Ukraine were a stark change from the stance of the Biden administration and many of Ukraine’s closest allies.
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
