Trump and Putin Align on Ukraine Negotiations Amid Shift in US Policy -

Former President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they agreed to start negotiations focused on ending the conflict in Ukraine. This decision marked a departure from three years of US policy and surprised European allies, who expressed concerns that the more accommodating stance from America could be seen as a concession to the Russian leader.

Trump revealed this call, his first official contact with Putin since reclaiming the US presidency, through social media, labeling it a “lengthy and highly productive phone call.” He emphasized that their teams would begin negotiations promptly and later noted in the Oval Office that he expects to meet with Putin soon in Saudi Arabia.

The phone call came in the wake of a flurry of actions that underscored Trump’s commitment to rapidly fulfill his campaign promises while moving away from former President Joe Biden’s approach, which carefully sidestepped direct engagement with Russia, allowing Ukraine to lead the efforts.

Earlier that day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth updated NATO allies, stating that the US would not send troops to ensure peace, described any future NATO membership for Ukraine as unrealistic, and hinted that Ukraine may need to concede some of its territory.

While affirming the US’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and NATO, Hegseth urged European nations to “step into the arena” and take a more active role in continental security.

European officials were not informed in advance about Trump’s discussion with Putin, according to one insider, while others voiced concerns that this could represent a betrayal, fearing that the US was yielding to several of Putin’s core demands without receiving any concessions.

France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the UK, Spain, and the European Union released a statement underscoring that Ukraine and Europe must play a crucial role in the negotiations and that Kyiv should receive strong security guarantees. They emphasized that achieving a fair and lasting peace is vital for robust transatlantic security.

“In any negotiation, Europe must have a central role,” declared the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.

Some Republican leaders also criticized Trump’s actions, including Nebraska Representative Don Bacon, who warned on social media about the potential “consequences of rewarding the invader.”

Later on, Trump indicated his intention to provide additional aide to Ukraine. Addressing Hegseth’s suggestion that Russia might keep some Ukrainian territory, he remarked, “I think some of it will come back,” dismissing fears that he was undermining Ukraine’s bargaining position.

“I’m just here to try and get peace,” he asserted. “I don’t care much about anything else other than I want to stop having millions of people killed.”

The symbolic aspect of this initiative was evident. Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Biden administration had avoided openly confronting Putin regarding the conflict. The principle of “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” had been a hallmark of US and European policy — a stance that Trump now appears to have shifted away from.

After his call with Putin, Trump had a discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who later posted on social media that “we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression.” However, Trump also remarked on Zelenskiy’s low approval ratings, noting that he would need to hold elections soon, which have been deferred due to the conflict.

On Tuesday evening, the US disclosed that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveled to Russia and secured the release of American teacher Marc Fogel. The next day, it was reported that Fogel had been released in exchange for Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national who had pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy.

Additionally, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Kyiv to enhance discussions on economic-security cooperation, which could provide the US access to Ukrainian minerals. This deal could help finance the ongoing assistance that Trump has promised to deliver to Ukraine.

This rapid sequence of actions left European leaders and other US allies astonished. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis commented that Hegseth’s viewpoint “sounds like abandoning Ukraine.” Others clarified that Putin — not the US, Europe, or Ukraine — was the one who had obstructed prior peace discussions.

“Presidents throughout history have understood that transatlantic security has benefited both the US and Europe,” noted former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. “It seems Trump believes he possesses superior insight. History will judge this decision.”

During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to pursue a swift resolution to the war. While many of his views resonate with a broader consensus, allies have been cautious about expressing them publicly in the past to avoid undermining Ukraine during negotiations.

“If the US is promising Russia that Ukraine will not join NATO, and if Ukraine is denied NATO membership, Putin will have achieved one of his key goals of this war,” explained Kristine Berzina, managing director at the German Marshall Fund’s Geostrategy North. “This would mean conceding to Putin his demands regarding territorial claims and NATO.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov revealed that Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow and that their conversation lasted nearly an hour and a half, which included discussions about the Middle East. Zelenskiy’s office later confirmed that he spoke with Trump for approximately an hour.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is actively seeking innovative strategies to obtain weapons and continue its fight against Russia. Ukrainian officials have approached Trump’s administration, requesting permission to utilize $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to acquire US-made arms, per European diplomats familiar with the negotiations.

Ukraine has put forth the proposal of seizing these assets to fund the purchase of American weaponry during several recent discussions involving Ukraine, some allies, and Trump’s administration.

Throughout his campaign, Trump consistently argued that the war in Ukraine “would have never started” under his administration and expressed confidence in his ability to resolve it even before returning to the White House. He articulated plans to reduce funding for Ukraine’s military initiatives, which the US has been the principal financial supporter of under Biden.

Some experts and analysts perceived the Trump-Putin dialogue and the shift in US policy as a positive recognition of reality.

“It’s rather clear that the United States is not prepared to engage militarily with Russia to defend Ukraine, a position that has been held for over 35 years,” stated Thomas Graham, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. As negotiations are anticipated to carry on for months or longer, he underscored the necessity for establishing a communication channel between Russia and the US.

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