Donald Trump has reportedly admitted speaking with Russian leader Vladimir Putin about bringing an end to the war in Ukraine, making him the first U.S. president to have direct conversation with Putin since 2022.
Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to resolve the conflict but has yet to outline a concrete strategy, described the war as a “bloodbath” last week and claimed his team had held “some very good talks.” During an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump told to the New York Post that he had spoken with Putin over the phone but refused to reveal the number of conversations, saying, he “better not say” more about it.
Breaking the Silence
X
“[Putin] wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the newspaper. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the TASS state news agency that “many different communications are emerging.”
“These communications are conducted through different channels,” Peskov said after he was asked by TASS to comment directly on the New York Post report. “I personally may not know something, be unaware of something. Therefore, in this case, I can neither confirm nor deny it.”
X
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022, but tensions between the two nations have been ongoing for over a decade, dating back to the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych during the Revolution of Dignity.
Following his removal, Russia seized Crimea and later provided military support to pro-Russian armed groups in multiple regions.
In 2022, Putin deployed thousands of troops into Ukraine, labeling the invasion a “special military operation” with the aim to protect Russian-speaking populations, as well as “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine.
He also cited concerns over Ukraine’s possible NATO membership as a reason for the intervention.
However, Ukraine and its Western allies, primarily the United States, have consistently argued that Russia’s actions are a blatant attempt at territorial expansion. While they have vowed to push back Russian forces, U.S. support has shown signs of weakening.
Currently, Russia controls a portion of Ukrainian territory roughly equivalent to the size of Virginia and is advancing at its fastest rate since the early stages of the invasion.
New Commander, New Initiatives
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the war and willingness to meet with Putin to negotiate peace, though no details regarding the timing or location of such talks have been made public.
X
Russia reportedly views Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as potential venues for a summit.
On June 14, Putin laid out his initial conditions for halting the war, demanding that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations and withdraw its military forces from four regions that Russia claims and largely occupies.
In November, reports suggested that Putin was willing to engage in discussions with Trump regarding a potential peace agreement for Ukraine. However, he remained firm on not making major territorial concessions and insisted that Kyiv must abandon its aspirations to join NATO.
The Kremlin has repeatedly urged restraint regarding speculation about possible negotiations between Russian officials and Trump’s team concerning a peace settlement.
On Thursday, Russian state news agency RIA cited Leonid Slutsky, head of the parliamentary committee on international affairs, as saying that preparations for such a meeting were at an “advanced stage” and could potentially take place in February or March.
Putin’s last known conversation with former U.S. President Joe Biden took place in February 2022, just before Russian troops were deployed into Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders spoke for around an hour.
