Two leaders engage in a ‘highly productive phone call’ and agree to assemble negotiation teams for a ceasefire.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have announced the immediate commencement of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, raising concerns about a peace deal that may favor Moscow.
During a 90-minute call, the two leaders agreed to form negotiation teams for direct ceasefire discussions. Trump also revealed plans to visit Russia and invite Putin to Washington to break the deadlock and save “millions of lives.”
However, the announcement has sparked fears that Ukraine and Europe are sidelined in the negotiations. It comes as Trump’s newly appointed Pentagon chief informed NATO allies that the U.S. could no longer guarantee military protection for Europe.
On Wednesday, Trump wrote: “I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We agreed to work closely together, including visiting each other’s nations. Our teams will begin negotiations immediately.”
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump confirmed that his first in-person meeting with Putin would take place in Saudi Arabia shortly. He stated that in addition to his visit to Russia, he expects Putin to visit the U.S.
Denying claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was excluded from the peace process, Trump remarked, “At some point, you need to have elections too,” referencing Zelensky’s declining poll numbers. When pressed on whether Ukraine would be an equal party in negotiations, he insisted that the country must “make peace.”
The call followed Russia’s release of a U.S. teacher imprisoned in Moscow, a move Trump described as a goodwill gesture from Putin. He clarified that the release of Mark Fogel was “a nice thing, but not part of any ceasefire deal.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that Putin invited Trump to Moscow to discuss “issues of mutual interest.” The leaders reportedly agreed that “the time has come for our countries to work together” and emphasized that a “long-term solution can be achieved through peace negotiations.”
Putin emphasized the need to “address the root causes” of the war without elaborating further. Russia has consistently demanded a reduction of the U.S. military presence in Europe and recognition of its claims over four annexed Ukrainian regions, none of which it fully controls.
Ahead of the talks, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth informed NATO allies that they could no longer rely on American military security amid growing concerns of full-scale war with Russia. Hegseth explicitly stated that the U.S. could not prioritize European security. He also ruled out committing U.S. troops to any future Ukraine peacekeeping mission, leaving the responsibility to “capable European and non-European forces.” Additionally, he dismissed the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO and described a return to its pre-war borders as an “illusionary goal.”
Trump announced that Washington’s negotiating team for the Ukraine peace talks would be led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and National Security Adviser Mike Walts. Notably absent was Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, who had previously engaged with European diplomats on potential peace frameworks.
Sources familiar with the discussions suggested that Kellogg lacked Trump’s full authority to broker a settlement. One insider described him as a “lost old man” in recent meetings, unaware of Trump’s planned talks with Zelensky until he heard about them on Fox News. Another source close to the administration remarked, “Kellogg was the right tool for the job, but at the end of the day, he is just a tool. He will be there until Trump feels like his job is done.”
While Kellogg remains the official envoy, businessman Steve Witkoff has been given an expanded role, negotiating directly with Russia. Witkoff was reportedly instrumental in securing the release of Marc Fogel, personally overseeing his return to the U.S. on his private jet. His visit to Moscow marked the first by a senior U.S. official since CIA Director William Burns’ 2021 trip to prevent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Zelensky held separate talks in Kyiv with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on an economic deal that would see Ukraine exchange rare earth materials for continued U.S. military support. Zelensky described this arrangement as a “security shield.” The economic partnership reportedly includes a U.S. demand for $500 billion in rare earth minerals as a condition for Washington’s ongoing support.
In media interviews, Zelensky appeared skeptical of the broader peace deal being crafted by Washington. Speaking to The Economist shortly before Trump’s call with Putin, he stated, “We haven’t heard any proposals.”
Amid these developments, Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to meet one-on-one with Zelensky in Munich on Friday.
‘Just and Lasting Peace’
On Wednesday, France, Germany, and Spain emphasized that any peace deal must involve both Kyiv and Europe. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisted, “There will be no just and lasting peace in Ukraine without the participation of Europeans.”
Germany’s Annalena Baerbock and Spain’s Jose Manuel Albares stressed the need for EU unity, asserting that a deal cannot be reached “without Ukraine.”
Shortly before Hegseth’s address to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group—a coalition of over 50 nations supporting Kyiv—NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte cautioned against negotiating with Putin prematurely. “We can brainstorm about the best way forward… but let’s not make him wiser than he already is,” Rutte remarked during a news conference.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized that ensuring Kyiv’s strength should remain the immediate priority before entering peace talks. Speaking in Brussels after a global defense leaders’ meeting, Healey reaffirmed Ukraine’s rightful place in NATO, a long-standing goal for the country.
Despite apparent divisions between the U.S. and its allies, Healey sought to downplay tensions, even as Hegseth appeared to rule out Ukraine’s NATO membership as a security guarantee.
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