President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently engaged in a 2-hour phone call to discuss pressing matters, including Russia’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Both Trump and Putin described the call as “frank” and “useful,” but it is not immediately clear what results were achieved.
Trump shared his optimism about the call, describing it as productive and expressing hope for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a ceasefire and ultimately bring an end to the war.
FILE – In this June 28, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G-20.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” he added.
Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that “a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible” but noted “Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides.”
Any concrete details on the nature of these compromises remain unclear, despite negotiation attempts in Turkey on Friday.
Ceasefire talks fell through last week after a Ukrainian delegation said it was presented with demands from the Russian delegation that were “unacceptable,” including reported calls for the complete removal of Ukrainian troops from four Ukrainian regions that Russian illegally annexed in 2022, including Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
The Russia delegation also allegedly demanded that the international community not only recognize the regions as now Russian, but cease all aid to Ukraine, including plans to supply peace-keeping troops once the fighting concludes.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
