President Donald Trump expressed hope that the war in Ukraine will end soon after speaking by phone with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday.
Trump posted on Truth Social that his call with Putin was โlengthy and highly productive,โ touching on โUkraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects.โ
โ[W]e both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, โCOMMON SENSE.โ We both believe very strongly in it.โ
โWe agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each otherโs Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation,โ Trump explained, adding,ย โNo more lives should be lost!โ
The president indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the U.S. negotiation team.
Watch as Karoline Leavitt makes it clear that President Trump is ready to end the war in Ukraine:
โThe administration is wholeheartedly committed to a peace deal to end, once and for all, the Russia-Ukraine war.โ pic.twitter.com/Oj2bFyz5uF
โ Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) February 12, 2025
Trump also thanked Putin for the release of former middle school teacher American Marc Fogel from a Russian prison.
โ Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 12, 2025
He concluded, writing he believes the peace negotiations โwill lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!โ
Trump said during last fallโs campaign he felt he could end the war quickly if he returned to the presidency.
He later posted, regarding a call with Zelenskyy, that it went โvery well.โ
โHe, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE. We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the War, but mostly, the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the Delegation,โ Trump shared.
โI am hopeful that the results of that meeting will be positive. It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!โ he said.
โ Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 12, 2025
Zelenskyy wrote concerning his call with Trump, โNo one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, letโs get it done.โ
I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We long talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraineโs technological capabilitiesโincluding drones and other advanced industries. I am grateful to President Trumpโฆ pic.twitter.com/2SIOTX3jEp
โ Volodymyr Zelenskyy / ะะพะปะพะดะธะผะธั ะะตะปะตะฝััะบะธะน (@ZelenskyyUa) February 12, 2025
Reuters reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Wednesday that a return to Ukraineโs pre-2014 borders was an โunrealistic objectiveโ for a peace deal.
WATCH: Pete Hegseth shows why heโs a strong SecDef, outlining the U.S. defense policy towards Ukraine:
โWe want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraineโs pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing thisโฆ pic.twitter.com/rn4enyB5DJ
โ TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) February 12, 2025
Further, โThe United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,โ Hegseth said.
Putin had previously said Ukraine joining NATO would be a red line for him.
Reuters noted, โRussia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine and has demanded Kyiv cede more territory and be rendered permanently neutral under any peace deal. Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and wants NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again.โ
