On Wednesday, President Donald Trump had his first conversation confirmed with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He described it as “a lengthy and highly productive discussion” aimed at ending Ukraine’s war.
This call, lasting nearly 90 minutes signals a change in US foreign policy. Trump is prioritizing an American-backed solution to a conflict that has been dragging on for over two years.
Trump posted a message on Truth Social, a social media platform, saying that he and his team had discussed Ukraine, Middle East, Energy Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Dollar’s power, among other topics.
Trump said, “We both talked about our strengths and how we can work together in the future.”
We both agree that we must stop the deaths of millions in the War with Russia/Ukraine.
Trump said that peace talks could start “immediately.”
Trump shifts US policy on Ukraine War
The announcement by Trump that the negotiations will begin raises concerns about Ukraine’s involvement in the process.
He said he’d brief Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky but did not say if Kyiv was on an equal footing with Moscow in these talks.
“… I’ll call President Zelenskyy of Ukraine to let him know about the conversation. …”, will follow.
Trump is sceptical of the leadership in Ukraine and does not publicly express strong support for Zelensky.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, portrayed this discussion as a diplomatic break-through.
Dmitri Pekskov, the Russian Government’s Spokesman said that Putin and Trump had agreed “that it is time for us to work together”, and that Trump has been invited to Moscow.
A Russian leader has also said that it is essential to address the “root cause” of the Ukraine crisis. This position suggests that Russia may demand concessions before a ceasefire can be agreed upon.
‘Irrealistic’ to return Ukraine’s border before 2014
While Trump was on the phone with Putin, US Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. His remarks suggested that Washington had changed its position regarding Ukraine’s territorial aspirations.
The goal of restoring Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders, before Russia annexed Crimea, was described as “unrealistic”.
In a similar vein, he said that the US wouldn’t support Ukraine joining NATO as part of any peace deal. This was in line with one of Putin’s main demands.
Hegseth’s remarks, in combination with Trump’s telephone call, suggest that Washington could push Ukraine towards a compromise which falls short of their stated goals.
The European nations that have supported Ukraine economically and militarily are expected to closely scrutinize any new US-Russian framework.
UN lauds the potential of negotiations
In response to this news, the United Nations said it welcomes any initiative which could lead to peace negotiations.
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said that involving Russia and Ukraine in any kind of process “would be an exciting development.”
He did, however, emphasize that all negotiations should involve Ukrainian representatives. This was a fact Trump didn’t confirm explicitly.
Trump has announced the members of his negotiating delegation: Secretary of State Marco Rubio; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff, who was last week in Moscow to help secure Marc Fogel’s release from prison in Russia after over three years of imprisonment, helped achieve this.
The list of Trump’s envoys for Russia and Ukraine is notable in that retired general Keith Kellogg was not included.
US-Russian relations during the Ukraine War
The call was a victory for Putin as it signaled the end to Western diplomatic efforts to isolate Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Putin has frequently expressed his optimism in public about the potential for a shift in US foreign policy since Trump was re-elected.
Trump has spoken highly of Putin, despite his occasional criticism of him in the past.
After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Trump called Putin a genius. However, he changed his tone following his second inaugural, saying that Putin’s war efforts had been poorly managed.
Trump said to reporters at the Oval Office during his first official day, “He’s doing poorly. He can’t be happy.”
The Russians are bigger and have more troops to lose. But that is not the way to run your country.
Trump’s approach towards Ukraine will likely face opposition from US Congress members and allies as he prepares to navigate complex dynamics in US-Russian relations.
The extent of the involvement and compromises that Ukraine may have to make is still uncertain.
As new information becomes available, this post Trump talks with Putin about ending the Ukraine war and says that peace negotiations can begin ‘immediately.’ This may change as events unfold.
