Former President Donald Trump has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to “immediately” begin negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine following a lengthy phone call between the two leaders. The conversation, which Trump detailed in a post on Truth Social, marked a significant shift in diplomatic discussions surrounding the ongoing conflict that has gripped Ukraine since Russia’s initial invasion in February 2022.
According to Trump, the call resulted in an agreement between him and Putin to work closely together, including the possibility of reciprocal visits between their nations. “We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately,” Trump wrote, adding that he would be informing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the conversation. Trump also announced that a team of top officials—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff—would lead the negotiations, expressing confidence in their success.
Since the start of the war, Ukraine has relied on military and financial support from the United States and its European allies to counter Russian aggression. However, Trump has repeatedly criticized Zelenskyy for not making a deal with Putin sooner, arguing that the war could have been avoided if negotiations had taken place before the invasion. His stance has led to ongoing friction between the Ukrainian leader and Trump, who has been vocal in questioning the amount of U.S. aid being sent to Ukraine.
Reflecting on the phone call with Putin, Trump emphasized the historical ties between the United States and Russia, recalling their cooperation in World War II. He noted that both countries suffered immense losses during the war and suggested that working together could bring mutual benefits in the future. “We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump stated. He also claimed that Putin had echoed his campaign motto, “COMMON SENSE,” further signaling alignment between their perspectives on the conflict.
Putin has expressed admiration for Trump on multiple occasions, and in a recent interview, he reiterated his belief that the former president is the right leader to “restore order” in Europe. During a speech in late January, Putin suggested that Trump’s leadership would swiftly bring European leaders in line, stating, “Trump, with his character and stubbornness, will restore order there quickly. And all of them – you will see – it will happen swiftly. Soon they will all sit at the feet of their master and gently wag their tails.”
Putin also claimed that many European countries actively worked against Trump’s re-election in 2020, favoring then-President Joe Biden instead. According to Putin, Biden was more aligned with their views on social and geopolitical issues, while Trump’s policies—especially on gender identity and conservative values—were less appealing to the global establishment. Despite their ideological differences, Putin described Trump as a “clever and pragmatic man” who prioritized American interests above all else.
Meanwhile, Trump suggested last week that a negotiated settlement between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States could be close at hand. “We will be speaking, and I think we’ll perhaps do something that’ll be significant,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.” However, when pressed about whether he had personally spoken with Putin before this latest announcement, Trump dodged the question, stating, “I don’t want to say that.”
During his tenure in office, Trump frequently criticized the Biden administration for allocating substantial financial resources to Ukraine rather than pursuing diplomatic solutions. He has since continued to challenge the rationale behind the vast sums of aid given to Kyiv, a sentiment that has resonated with many of his supporters. In a campaign speech earlier this year, Trump claimed that Ukraine had received over $200 billion in U.S. assistance, a figure that Zelenskyy himself has disputed.
In a recent interview, Zelenskyy expressed frustration over the claims regarding the scale of U.S. aid. “When it is said that Ukraine received $200 billion to support the army during the war – that’s not true. I don’t know where all that money went,” he stated. Zelenskyy estimated that Ukraine had actually received closer to $76 billion in direct aid, with a significant portion being military assistance rather than financial support.
Since 2022, Congress has approved approximately $175 billion for Ukraine-related expenses. However, reports suggest that a large percentage of that funding has gone toward American defense industries and U.S. government operations tied to the war effort. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute, as of October 2024, the United States had allocated around $92 billion in financial and military aid to Ukraine, while the European Union and the United Kingdom had pledged a combined $131 billion.
Zelenskyy further clarified that Ukraine had not received direct cash payments from the U.S. government. Instead, most of the aid had come in the form of weapons, logistical support, and training. “There are also many other humanitarian programs I’m uninformed about, except for knowing of their existence. Perhaps the U.S. president’s administration will audit these programs and find additional billions, but I don’t know where those funds went,” he said.
Despite the heated debates surrounding financial aid, Trump remains committed to pushing for a resolution to the war through diplomatic means. His supporters argue that his approach is more pragmatic than previous U.S. efforts, which focused on prolonging Ukraine’s resistance against Russia rather than pursuing a settlement.
Trump’s recent push for negotiations has also fueled speculation about how his administration would handle international diplomacy if he were to return to office. His critics worry that his approach could lead to Ukraine being forced into concessions that favor Russia, while his allies see it as a realistic step toward de-escalation.
As talks between the U.S. and Russia are set to begin, the world watches closely to see whether Trump’s diplomatic outreach to Putin will yield meaningful results. If successful, the negotiations could mark a turning point in the conflict and reshape America’s role in global peace efforts. However, the question remains: will Ukraine be willing to accept the terms that may come from these talks, or will the impasse continue, prolonging the war indefinitely?
