US President Donald Trump reported having a “lengthy and highly productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. They agreed to “immediately” start negotiations aimed at ending the Ukraine war.
During the call, which lasted approximately one and a half hours, both leaders extended invitations to visit each other’s countries. Trump mentioned on Truth Social that he intended to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “right now” to update him about the discussions.
This call marks a significant thaw in relations between the United States and Russia. According to the Kremlin, Putin expressed that a “long-term settlement” of the Ukraine conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is achievable. The Kremlin also confirmed that Putin invited Trump to Moscow.
The call followed a recent prisoner swap, where Russia released US teacher Marc Fogel in exchange for Washington’s release of Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik. In his post, Trump praised Putin, noting that the Russian president even referenced his campaign motto, “COMMON SENSE.”
Trump asserted that both leaders are aligned in their desire to halt the significant loss of life due to the ongoing conflict, although he cited an unconfirmed figure for the death toll. He emphasized their commitment to working closely together and commencing negotiations promptly.
To facilitate these discussions, Trump stated that he appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations, expressing confidence in their potential success.
