Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation with former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, the Ukrainian presidency confirmed.
The call came shortly after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signalling a potential shift in diplomatic efforts regarding the Ukraine war.
Trump had earlier stated his intention to call Zelensky following his conversation with Putin, during which the two leaders reportedly agreed to “immediately” begin negotiations to end the ongoing conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described his call with Putin as “lengthy and highly productive,” emphasizing that both sides had extended invitations for reciprocal visits.
The Kremlin separately confirmed that the discussion lasted one and a half hours, with both leaders agreeing that the “time has come to work together.”
During the conversation, Putin expressed the possibility of a “long-term settlement” to the war sparked by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and extended an invitation for Trump to visit Moscow. The call followed a recent prisoner exchange, in which Moscow freed US teacher Marc Fogel, while Washington released Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik.
Trump praised Putin in his post, highlighting that the Russian president had even echoed his campaign slogan “COMMON SENSE.”
Trump further stated that they had both agreed on the need to “stop the millions of deaths” in the war, though the casualty figures he cited remain unverified.
The former US president also announced that he had tasked key officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiation efforts.
As diplomatic activity intensifies, the international community will be watching closely to see if these talks mark a turning point in the conflict.
