On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced his anticipation of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss peace talks regarding Ukraine. This development marks a significant thaw in relations, following an unexpected phone call between the two leaders.
In their first confirmed communication since Trump’s return to the White House, the U.S. president described his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “lengthy and highly productive.” This dialogue comes in the wake of Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, this engagement has raised concerns that Ukraine may be sidelined in discussions concerning its future, particularly after Trump remarked that Kyiv’s goal of joining NATO was not “practical,” a stance that aligns with Moscow’s interests. Trump, who has advocated for a swift resolution to the nearly three-year conflict, refuted claims that Ukraine was being excluded from the negotiations between the two nuclear powers. “We expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there — and we’ll likely meet for the first time in Saudi Arabia,” Trump informed reporters in the Oval Office regarding his anticipated meeting with Putin. He expressed optimism that this meeting would take place “in the not-too-distant future,” and noted that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who facilitated a recent Russia-U.S. prisoner exchange, would also be involved. The Kremlin reported that the call between the two leaders lasted almost an hour and a half, during which they concurred that “the time has come to work together.” It was also mentioned that Putin had extended an invitation for Trump to visit Moscow.
Before taking office on January 20, Trump had promised to end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours”.
– ‘Find common ground’ –
Donald Trump surprised many when he announced a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on his Truth Social platform. He stated that both leaders had “agreed to work together to stop the millions of deaths occurring in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict,” though he referenced an unverified death toll. Trump conveyed that they had decided to collaborate closely, including the possibility of visiting each other’s countries, and to initiate immediate negotiations regarding Ukraine. Following his conversation with Putin, Trump reached out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not part of the call. Zelensky later described the conversation with Trump as “meaningful,” during which he shared insights from his discussions with Putin. Trump noted that Zelensky, like President Putin, wishes to pursue peace. Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, mentioned in a televised statement that Zelensky and Trump had concurred on the urgent need to establish high-level teams from both sides to negotiate a resolution. These teams are set to engage in daily discussions, and Zelensky’s officials are expected to meet with U.S. representatives at the Munich Security Conference in just a day. However, Trump’s dialogue with Putin has sparked concerns that the United States might be acquiescing to Russia’s demands. Earlier on Wednesday, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth informed European counterparts that Ukraine’s aspiration to revert to its pre-2014 borders was an “illusory goal,” and he labeled Kyiv’s desire for NATO membership as “unrealistic.” Both of these points align with key demands set forth by Moscow. Trump dismissed allegations that Zelensky was being sidelined and countered criticisms suggesting that Hegseth’s statements implied Washington was capitulating to Russia’s preconditions. Meanwhile, Yermak reaffirmed Kyiv’s unwavering position that Ukraine’s “independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty” must remain non-negotiable.
The Ukrainian leader is calling for tough security guarantees from Washington as part of any deal with Russia. Trump has meanwhile suggested a deal for Kyiv’s rare earth minerals in exchange for its continued military aid.
–Primary Factors
Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday during the Munich Security Conference, following his discussion with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on Wednesday. The Kremlin’s statement regarding the call with Trump was notably more restrained. It indicated that President Putin “agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace negotiations,” but emphasized the need to “address the root causes of the conflict,” which Russia attributes to Western influence on Kyiv. This week has seen signs of a possible thaw in relations, highlighted by a prisoner swap that resulted in Moscow releasing U.S. teacher Marc Fogel while Belarus liberated a U.S. citizen in exchange for Washington’s release of Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik. Trump, who has previously voiced admiration for Putin, expressed his appreciation for the Russian president in a post on Truth Social, stating that Putin “even used my very strong campaign motto, ‘COMMON SENSE,’” and thanked him for Fogel’s release. However, concerns are rising in Kyiv and European capitals regarding the potential contours of any future agreement. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Spain asserted on Wednesday that there can be “no just and lasting peace” without the involvement of Kyiv and its European partners.
