Former U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, marking the first known direct communication between Putin and a U.S. president since early 2022. The conversation, reported by the New York Post, follows Trump’s repeated promises to end the Ukraine conflict, though he has yet to publicly outline a specific plan for achieving peace.
In an interview aboard Air Force One, Trump declined to say how many times he and Putin had spoken but emphasized Putin’s desire to stop the bloodshed. “He (Putin) wants to see people stop dying,” Trump said. However, the White House has not commented on these developments, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave no direct confirmation of the report, stating only that “many different communications are emerging.”
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The conflict in Ukraine, which started in 2014 and escalated with Russia’s 2022 invasion, has seen Moscow control large swathes of Ukrainian territory. While Russia has pushed forward, Ukraine and its Western allies, led by the United States, continue to resist what they describe as an imperial land grab.
Trump, who has positioned himself as a peacemaker, has repeatedly mentioned his intent to meet with Putin to discuss ending the war, though the details of any summit remain undisclosed. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been floated as potential venues for such talks, with speculation of a February or March meeting in the works.
Putin has reportedly laid out terms for peace, including Ukraine dropping its NATO aspirations and withdrawing from Russian-claimed territories. However, the Russian leader remains firm on keeping control of the regions currently held by Moscow, and there has been no indication of a willingness to make significant concessions.
As Trump pushes forward with his peace efforts, he has maintained that he will likely meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy soon to discuss potential paths forward. Trump reiterated his desire for a swift resolution, expressing frustration over the ongoing conflict and the daily loss of life.
