Trump says that the invitation with Putin is the beginning of the peace negotiations of Ukraine

President Trump said on Wednesday that he had a “very lengthy and fruitful phone call” with President Vladimir Finn from Russia, describing it as the beginning of negotiation to end the war in Ukraine.

This was the first confirmed conversation between the two men during the second term of Mr. Trump, as Mr. Trump explained to the advisers that finding a US -backed end began in the war is a priority for his administration.

“Each of us has talked about the strengths of our countries, and the great benefit that we will one day do at work together,” Mr. Trump books In a social media publication. “But first, as we agreed, we want to stop millions of deaths in the war with Russia/Ukraine.” (An estimated number of thousands of deaths occurred in the conflict, not millions.)

For Mr. Putin, the invitation was a major milestone, which indicates the collapse of Western efforts to remove diplomatically after he invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago. Since the re -election of Mr. Trump in November, the Russian President Mr. Trump praisedWhich confirms the Kremlin hope that the new American leader can reshape Moscow’s relationship with Washington and return to Ukraine’s support.

The conversation between the presidents came a day after Russia agreed to the release of an imprisoned American teacher in contrast For the United States, which restores electronic criminals convicted to Russia.

Mr. Trump, whose history dates back to nuclear war, has long requested a better relationship with Russia. At a summit with Mr. Putin in Helsinki, Finland, in his first term, Mr. Trump accepted Mr. Putin’s statement that Russia did not interfere in the elections he won, an opinion that contradicts the evaluation of US intelligence officials.

Mr. Trump carried a campaign last year to settle the war in Ukraine in “24 hours”, which is a Zaidi description of his skills in making deals that confirmed despite the importance of achieving the peace agreement for him.

His announcement of a plan with Russia to a ceasefire comes amid fears in Ukraine that Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump will make a close relationship that would push Ukraine to the side lines in any peace talks.

After speaking to Mr. Trump on Wednesday, President Voludimir Zellinsky of Ukraine confirmed that he will be part of the process, and to write on social media that he and the American president “draw our next steps to stop the Russian aggression and ensure permanent and reliable peace. As President Trump said,” Let’s achieve it “.

Mr. Trump said that his conversation with Mr. Zellinski “went well.”

“He, like President Putin, wants to make peace,” Mr. Trump wrote in a position, adding that a preliminary meeting will be held on Friday in Munich, with a delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio.

Mr. Trump did not explain how Mr. Zellinski clarified the discussions that he and Mr. Putin were in the movement. Mr. Trump has always been skeptical in Ukraine and has never prepared for Mr. Zellinski.

The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry S. said. Peskov, to reporters, that Mr. Putin’s invitation with Mr. Trump lasted for about an hour and a half.

He said that the two men agreed to hold a personal meeting and that Mr. Putin invited Mr. Trump to visit Moscow, which was also delivered by Mr. Trump in his position on social media. Mr. Peskov said that Mr. Putin agreed with Mr. Trump that “the time has come for our countries to work together.”

In Ukraine, Mr. Putin told Mr. Trump about “the need to eliminate the radical causes of the conflict,” said Mr. Peskov. This was a sign that the Russian president will not accept a simple ceasefire in Ukraine and will seek wider concessions from Ukraine and the West before he stopped fighting.

It seems that the Ukrainians are facing an effort in which they only have a few leverage. The invitation between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump came on the same day when Defense Minister Beit Higseth, speaking at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, came. He said It was a “unrealistic” target for Ukraine to restore its borders as it was before 2014, when Russia included the Crimea. Mr. Higseth added that the United States does not support Ukraine’s desire to join NATO as part of a realistic peace plan.

Mr. Higseth also suggested that Europe need to take over a bigger role in its defense, echoing a point by Mr. Trump for many years.

Mr. Trump, the defense minister later on Wednesday, told reporters that it is “unlikely” that Ukraine will return to its borders before 2014. He said, “They have taken a lot of lands and fought for that land.” Then the president added that he believed that “some of them will return.” Mr. Trump also said he believed that the future NATO membership of Ukraine was not a “practical”.

But Mr. Trump also said he intends to continue sending financial support to Ukraine, adding that he wanted to “secure”. Mr. Trump said: “If we do not do that, Putin will say he won.”

Mr. Trump said he did not believe that Mr. Higseth’s suspension has undergone negotiations with Russia. “I support Ukraine,” said Mr. Trump from the White House.

After calling on Wednesday with Mr. Trump, Mr. Zellinski wrote on social media that they had discussed a plan that would secure the continuous support of the United States in exchange for reaching Ukrainian natural resources and “preparing a new document on security, economic cooperation, and resource partnership.”

The United Nations said on Wednesday that it welcomes any efforts leading to peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Farhan Haq said, it is clear that it is clear that if both are ready to participate in this process, this will be a welcome development: “We will appreciate any efforts to resolve the war in the speaker Ukraine.

After a meeting of European foreign ministers in Paris on Wednesday, the French Foreign Ministry said that the participants – France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Britain, Ukraine and the European Union – are ready to increase support to Ukraine “in the face of the war of Russian aggression.”

“We look forward to discussing the road forward with our American allies,” the ministry He said in a statement. “Our common goals should be the position of Ukraine in the position of strength. Ukraine and Europe should be part of any negotiations. Ukraine should be provided with strong security guarantees. A fair and permanent peace in Ukraine is a necessary condition for powerful security across the Atlantic.”

Mr. Trump wrote in his position on social media that the negotiating team in the United States will include Mr. Rubio; John Ratcliffe, Director of the CIA; National Security Adviser to Mr. Trump, Michael Waltz; And its envoy in the Middle East, Steve Witkov. Mr. Witkev was in Moscow this week and recovered the American school teacher Mark VogelHe was imprisoned for more than three years in Russia.

Mr. Trump Keith Keel did not mention the retired general who called his envoy to Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Keel was generally made a more aggressive position towards Russia, from some of the informational advisers of Mr. Trump, and recently suggested that Mr. Trump could increase sanctions against Russia to force it to a peace agreement.

When he was asked why Mr. Kelog was not named as part of the negotiating team, the White House press secretary Caroline Levit told the reporters on Wednesday that he remained “a crucial part of this team and this effort” and “very” very “” a lot “was part of the administration.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly refused to say whether he had spoken to Mr. Putin before Wednesday, although many people who know such a call in the American government were not aware of one of them, according to the people who were briefed on the president’s talks.

Mr. Trump often made admired by the Russian President, Which was called “genius” After the complete invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But in the first week of Mr. Trump’s second term, he was more important, saying that Mr. Putin should not have invaded.

“It cannot be delighted, it does not work well,” Mr. Trump He told reporters In the oval office hours after its opening last month. “Russia is bigger, and they have more soldiers to lose them, but this is not a way to manage a country.”

FARNAZ FASSIHIand Julian Barnesand Maria Varinkova and Aurelien PREDEREN The reports contributed.