United States President Donald Trump has signalled a major shift in three years of US policy towards Kyiv, saying that he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone and agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Putin on Wednesday, and “I think we’re on the way to getting peace”.
He noted that he later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but he was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia on ending the war.
“I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelenskyy wants peace and I want peace,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Recounting his call with Putin, Trump said: “People didn’t really know what President Putin’s thoughts were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended also, so that’s good – and we’re going to work toward getting it ended and as fast as possible.”
The US president said they had agreed to “work together very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations” and to “have our respective teams start negotiations immediately” on Ukraine.
Trump said that he would “probably” meet in person with Putin in the near term, suggesting that a meeting could take place in Saudi Arabia.
Asked specifically about Ukraine being an equal member in a potential peace process, Trump responded, “Interesting question. I think they have to make peace.”
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