(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in separate phone calls on Monday and indicated afterward that a ceasefire may finally be in reach.
Trump spoke highly of his call with Putin on Truth Social on Monday afternoon, after Putin didn’t show for peace talks in Istanbul while Trump was in the Middle East.
“Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well,” Trump wrote.
Although Trump has pushed hard for an end to the fighting since taking office, often saying that the war started because Russia felt emboldened to strike while former President Joe Biden was in office, it has at times appeared the two countries were still far from any kind of deal. Trump said they would finally begin working toward a ceasefire in his Truth Social post.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War. 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,” Trump wrote.
The president said he had “informed” Zelenskyy and other European leaders of Putin’s seeming willingness to negotiate a ceasefire and that negotiations would, again, start immediately.
He also said Russia was interested in major trade with the United States, as he has indicated that long-term U.S. economic sanctions might be at least partially lifted should Russia reach a peace arrangement with Ukraine.
“Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.”
America has given Ukraine billions in aid since Russia invaded the country and launched a full-scale offensive in February 2022. Although Putin has been reluctant to work toward peace, American leaders have also shown frustration with Zelenskyy, particularly in the notorious White House meeting between the Ukrainian leader and Trump and senior administration officials in February.
Trump had not released the details of his Monday conversations with Zelenskyy as of late Monday afternoon.
