Washington DC: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that the Russia-Ukraine conflict needs to end. Their discussion highlighted the need for a lasting peace and an improvement in US-Russia relations.
Trump Speaks with Zelenskyy
Leavitt also confirmed that President Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address Ukraine’s concerns and align requests with Russia.
“Yesterday, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace and stressed the importance of better bilateral relations,” Leavitt said.
Focus on People’s Well-being
Leavitt emphasized that President Trump reiterated how resources used in the war could be better utilized for the benefit of the people in both countries.
“As President Trump has said repeatedly, the precious lives and money that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people. This terrible conflict would have never started with President Trump in charge. But he is determined to end it once and for all,” she added.
Halt on Energy Infrastructure Attacks
Following their call, Putin agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but did not sign off on a broader ceasefire, which was sought by the US. According to CNN, Putin announced this decision on Tuesday after his lengthy conversation with Trump.
“Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding order,” a Kremlin readout stated.
Trust Between Putin and Trump
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that both leaders trust each other and are keen on normalizing US-Russia relations.
“I can say with a high degree of confidence that Presidents Putin and Trump understand each other well, trust each other, and intend to gradually move towards normalizing Russian-American relations,” Peskov told reporters.
