Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in a lengthy phone call on Wednesday that peace negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict were possible, the Kremlin said.
The call marked Moscow’s first confirmed contact between the two leaders since Trump took office last month, as the Republican seeks to end nearly three years of fighting.
“President Putin … agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be reached through peace negotiations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, noting that the conversation lasted nearly one and a half hours.
“President Trump spoke in favour of ending hostilities as soon as possible and resolving the issue through peaceful means.” Putin emphasised that any settlement must “address the root causes of the conflict,” Peskov added, without elaborating. The Kremlin leader also invited Trump to visit Moscow.
Beyond Ukraine, the two leaders discussed prisoner exchanges, Iran’s nuclear programme, and the broader Middle East situation.
Trump described the call as “lengthy and highly productive” on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that both sides had agreed to begin negotiations “immediately.”
