Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling the commencement of negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump conveyed this development to reporters at the White House, emphasizing that both leaders expressed a desire for peace.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, President Trump disclosed that he had separate phone conversations with Putin and Zelensky, during which both leaders indicated their interest in reaching a peaceful resolution. Trump expressed optimism, stating, "I think we're on the way to getting peace. I think President Putin wants peace, President Zelensky wants peace, and I want peace. I just want to see people stop getting killed."
Trump further stated that he has directed U.S. officials to initiate negotiations to bring an end to the conflict. Key figures in this negotiation process will include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, as mentioned in a post by Trump on Truth Social.
In response, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin and Trump have agreed to meet, with an invitation extended by the Russian president for Trump to visit Moscow. Meanwhile, President Zelensky remarked on his "meaningful conversation" with Trump, highlighting discussions on potential pathways to peace and cooperation, particularly focusing on Ukraine's technological strengths, such as drones and other advanced sectors.
It is noteworthy that Trump's predecessor had sanctioned substantial military aid to Ukraine without engaging directly with Putin since the conflict's inception. Additionally, Trump's Secretary of Defense, Peter Hegseth, commented at a defense summit in Brussels that expecting Ukraine to revert to its pre-2014 borders is "unrealistic." He emphasized the necessity of ending the war and achieving a "durable peace" through a "realistic assessment of the battlefield."