US President Donald Trump announced that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would begin "immediately" following a "lengthy and highly productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conversation, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, marked the first publicly known discussion between the two leaders since Trump returned to office. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said they discussed a range of topics, including Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, and the strength of the U.S. dollar.

Trump emphasized that both he and Putin agreed on the need to stop what he described as the "millions of deaths" in the war and stated that he would soon contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to inform him of the conversation. The Kremlin also confirmed the call, stating that Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow and expressed willingness to receive American officials to discuss matters of mutual interest, including Ukraine.

Trump’s administration has been signaling a shift in U.S. priorities, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently stating in Brussels that Ukraine’s NATO membership was unrealistic and that the U.S. would no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security in the same way, instead focusing on its own borders and competition with China. Meanwhile, Trump has spoken about securing access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals as part of a potential deal for continued U.S. support.

The phone call followed a recent prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, in which American detainee Marc Fogel was released. The U.S., in return, freed Russian crypto-hacker Alexander Vinnik, who had been extradited in 2022 and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Vinnik also agreed to forfeit 0 million in digital assets to the U.S. government as part of the deal. White House officials saw the exchange as a potential breakthrough in U.S.-Russia relations and an indicator of Moscow’s willingness to engage in broader negotiations.

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was among those leading the prisoner exchange negotiations, pointed to Fogel’s release as an example of what might be possible in future discussions regarding the Ukraine war. Witkoff privately met with Putin in Moscow ahead of Trump’s call, and sources confirmed that Russian sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played key roles in brokering the deal.

Trump stated that he has assigned National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Witkoff to lead negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. While his predecessor, Joe Biden, had refused to engage directly with Putin, Trump’s approach signals a stark departure from past U.S. policy, with his administration aiming to move quickly toward a settlement. The Kremlin, for its part, welcomed the renewed dialogue, and both leaders agreed to maintain personal contact, including setting up an in-person meeting in the future.

Sources:

• Axios
• CNN
• NBC News