Ukraine War
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone regarding efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a report by the New York Post published late Saturday.
During an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump was asked how many times he had spoken with Putin. He responded vaguely, saying, “I better not say,” without revealing specific details about their conversations.
Trump asserted that Putin is also seeking an end to the conflict. “He wants to see people stop dying,” he told the New York Post. However, neither the Kremlin nor the White House immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comments outside of regular business hours.
The revelation comes weeks after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in late January that Putin was open to a phone call with Trump and that Moscow was waiting for an indication from Washington about its willingness to engage in such a discussion.
Additionally, Trump mentioned that he is likely to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week to discuss pathways to ending the war. However, he did not provide further details regarding what his proposed resolution might entail.
The war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion, is now approaching its third anniversary on February 24. The prolonged conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths, with the vast majority of casualties being Ukrainian.
Trump emphasized that he has maintained a strong rapport with Putin over the years and claimed to have a concrete plan to bring the war to a close.
However, he did not disclose specifics about his strategy. “I hope it’s fast,” he said, expressing urgency. “Every day, people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.”
His remarks have sparked renewed speculation about his approach to U.S.-Russia relations and how he might handle the ongoing war if he were to return to office.
