US President Donald Trump has announced intentions to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia for discussions on Ukraine peace. On Wednesday, Trump disclosed that he had a telephone conversation with Putin, aiming to ease the ongoing conflict, which is nearing its third anniversary.
This is the first verified direct communication between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House. Characterizing the interaction as a “lengthy and highly productive” dialogue, Trump reaffirmed his previous assertion that he could settle the Russia-Ukraine crisis within 24 hours if given the chance.
Is Ukraine Being Excluded?
Trump dismissed worries that Ukraine was being overlooked in direct conversations between the two nuclear nations. “We expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there – and we’re going to meet probably in Saudi Arabia the first time,” Trump told the press in the Oval Office, talking about Putin.
He additionally mentioned that the gathering is likely to occur “in the not too distant future” and emphasized the role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who recently facilitated a Russia-US prisoner exchange.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed that the phone conversation between Trump and Putin lasted for around one-and-a-half hours. According to Russian officials, both leaders concurred that “the time has come to work together” and that Putin had extended an invitation for Trump to travel to Moscow.
Trump Advocates for Peace Talks
Trump made an unexpected declaration on TruthSocial, indicating that he and Putin had “both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Russia/Ukraine”, referencing an unverified casualty figure. He further stressed that both countries would “work together very closely, including visiting each other’s nations” and that their teams would initiate negotiations promptly.
A short time later, Trump contacted Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had not participated in the earlier discussions with Putin. Zelenskyy later issued a statement describing their dialogue as “meaningful” and mentioned that he had “shared details” of his talks with Trump. Following this, Trump stated that like Putin, “Zelenskyy also wants to make PEACE. ”
What Will Peace Cost Ukraine?
Concerns persist regarding what Ukraine may need to sacrifice in order to secure peace. Previously, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth informed European allies that Ukraine’s goal of reclaiming its pre-2014 borders was an “illusionary goal” and that its aspirations for NATO membership were “not realistic. ”
Trump reiterated that Zelenskyy is not being left out of discussions while also labeling Ukraine’s NATO membership as an “impractical” objective. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is advocating for solid security assurances from the US as part of any peace agreement with Russia. Trump, however, has suggested a deal involving Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for ongoing military support.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 14 at the Munich Security Conference, after a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on February 12.