Trump Says Putin Agrees to Begin Negotiations to End Russia-Ukraine War

What Happened?

President Donald Trump said he recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the beginning stages of negotiating an immediate end to the war in Ukraine.

Trump took the Truth Social Wednesday to write a lengthy post regarding the 'highly productive phone call' with Putin.

'We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the dollar, and various other subjects,' Trump stated. 'We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II.'

In addition to the historical overview, Trump said that they both agreed that they want to put an end to the number of lives lost amid the ongoing conflict.

‘We agreed to work together very closely— including visiting each other’s nations,’ the president added. ‘We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation.’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have all been called by Trump to lead the negotiations.

Why it Matters

He believes this effort will soon bring an end to a successful conclusion between the two parties.

Trump recently laid out an ultimatum to Palestinian militant group Hamas as ceasefire arrangements appear flimsy amid Israeli hostage release delays.

Hamas was given a deadline of Saturday by noon, and if not, 'all hell is going to break out,’ according to Trump.

Those remarks came after Hamas alleged Israel violated ceasefire arrangements that prompted them to stop releasing hostages until further notice.

Trump's unofficial title as world peace negotiator has gained tons of support along with criticism surrounding plans to 'take over' and rebuild places like Gaza.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly said that the war between Ukraine and Russia 'must end' and 'returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective.'

'The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,' Hegseth stated.

He added that any security guarantees to Ukraine must be 'backed by capable European and non-European troops.'

It further positions the U.S. stance surrounding these key wars to come to terms to restore global balance.

Former State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller took to social media to express his views.

'They just surrendered one of the main points of leverage before negotiations even begin,' Miller said in response to Hegseth's remarks.

How it Affects You

The Trump administration has two important wars to help end part of campaign promises made.

A resolution between Ukraine and Gaza will set a tone for future actions President Trump plans to incorporate.

World leaders will be paying close attention to what comes next.