WASHINGTORN – U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed during a phone call to begin negotiations “immediately” toward ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump said in a social media post that his conversation with Putin was “lengthy and highly productive,” and involved discussing the strengths of the United States and Russia as well as the great benefit to be gained through future collaboration.
He later told reporters in the Oval Office, “I think President Putin wants peace and (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy wants peace. I want peace. I just want to see people stop getting killed.”
Shortly after the call on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he had a “meaningful” phone conversation with Trump.
“We long talked about opportunities to achieve peace,” Zelenskyy said on the X social media platform. “No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression.”
Zelenskyy said the U.S. president shared details of his conversation with Putin. The Ukrainian leader expressed appreciation for Trump’s interest in “what we can accomplish together,” adding that they confirmed they will maintain contact and arrange upcoming meetings.
But it was not immediately clear if or how Zelenskyy would be part of the negotiations over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that started nearly three years ago.
Trump agreed with Putin on reciprocal visits, saying, “We expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there.” He said their first meeting will probably take place in Saudi Arabia, without saying when that might be.
BY: The Times Union
