President Donald Trump said Monday that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following a day of meetings at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, beginning what he described as the “arrangements” for direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy.
Trump’s Announcement on Truth Social
In a post on Truth Social, Trump confirmed he had called Putin after the conclusion of the White House meetings.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” Trump wrote.
He added that the eventual meeting between the two leaders would be followed by a trilateral session including the United States:
“After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”
Details of the Call
Yury Ushakov, a top aide to Putin, said the two leaders spoke for about 40 minutes in what he described as a “candid and very constructive” conversation, according to CNN. Ushakov added that Putin expressed support for direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was among the leaders in Washington, reportedly said Putin agreed during the call with Trump to meet Zelenskyy within two weeks.
Hot-Mic Moment with Macron
Earlier in the day, Trump was overheard in a hot-mic exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I think [Putin] wants to make a deal,” Trump whispered. “I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that? As crazy as it sounds.”
Zelenskyy’s Reaction
Following the talks, Zelenskyy posted a message on X thanking Trump and the other leaders.
“Today, important negotiations took place in Washington. We discussed many issues with President Trump. It was a long and detailed conversation, including discussions about the situation on the battlefield and our steps to bring peace closer,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that the talks also focused on the release of prisoners, the return of children taken by Russia, and the possibility of new U.S. and European security guarantees.
“The U.S. President also supported a meeting at the level of leaders. Such a meeting is necessary to resolve sensitive issues.”
Context
The White House meetings come days after Trump and Putin met in Alaska for a summit described by both sides as “productive,” though no ceasefire agreement was reached. Trump has repeatedly said his goal is not just a pause in fighting but a permanent peace deal.
