U.S. President Donald Trump held two phone conversations on Wednesday with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, focusing on prospects for peace between the two countries. Trump and Putin agreed to launch "immediate" negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine. The same applies to Ukraine, where "the work of the teams" is expected to begin without delay.
Russia and the United States will begin "immediate" negotiations on Ukraine, the U.S. president stated on his Truth Social network, adding that he had a "lengthy and very productive conversation" with his Russian counterpart.
Shortly afterward, the American president informed his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.
In an extraordinary thaw in relations between Washington and Moscow, the Kremlin separately said the call lasted one and a half hours and that Putin and Trump had agreed that the "time has come to work together."
Putin also told Trump that a "long-term settlement" of the Ukraine conflict sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion of its pro-Western neighbor was possible, and invited the US president to Moscow, the Kremlin said.
The Trump-Putin call came after a prisoner swap this week that saw Moscow free US teacher Marc Fogel while Washington released Russian cryptocurrency kingpin Alexander Vinnik.
Trump heaped praise on the Russian president in his Truth Social post, saying that Putin "even used my very strong Campaign motto of, 'COMMON SENSE.'"
He said they "both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine" -- with Trump using an unconfirmed figure for the toll in the war.
"We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations," said Trump.
"We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelensky, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now."
Trump said he had asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff "to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also held a telephone call with Donald Trump on Wednesday, the presidency in Kyiv said, shortly after the US president said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The presidency told reporters that the call lasted approximately one hour. Trump had earlier said he would call Zelensky after speaking with Putin.
With AFP
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