WASHINGTON — President Trump revealed Wednesday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to start talks “immediately” to end Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
“[W]e want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump, 78, posted on Truth Social, saying that Europe’s largest and deadliest land conflict since World War II “would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end.
“No more lives should be lost!”
The president also said that he and his Russian counterpart expressed openness to “visiting each other’s nations,” while letting slip to reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon that “we expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there, and we’re going to meet also, probably in Saudi Arabia.”
Trump added on Truth Social that the negotiating process “will begin by calling President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy [sic], of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” before revealing that the American delegation to any peace talks would be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Trump pledge to end Putin’s war in Ukraine during his presidential campaign. POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesIn a Facebook statement, Zelensky confirmed that he and Trump had “a meaningful conversation” about “opportunities to achieve peace [and] discussed our readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine’s technological capabilities—including drones and other advanced industries.”
“We also spoke about my discussion with [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent and the preparation of a new document on security, economic cooperation, and resource partnership. President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin,” Ukraine’s president added.
“No one wants peace more than Ukraine,” Zelensky concluded. “Together with the U.S. [sic], we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done.”
For Trump’s part, the American president said the conversation with the Ukrainian had gone “very well.”
Trump called for access to Ukraine’s core earth metals as part of a settlement. Getty Images“He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE,” Trump said of Zelensky. “We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the War, but mostly, the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the Delegation. I am hopeful that the results of that meeting will be positive.
“It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION,” the president repeated. “God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!”
Wednesday’s phone call with Putin took place after Trump negotiated a prisoner exchange with Russia to release American teacher Marc Fogel in exchange for Russian crypto site leader Alexander Vinnik, who pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of money laundering conspiracy.
Other topics Trump discussed with the Kremlin strongman included “the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects.”
“We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many!” the president went on. “We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together … President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both believe very strongly in it.”
Trump told The Post over the weekend he had previously spoken to Putin, but did not reveal the topics of conversation.
The president announced Tuesday he would be sending Bessent to meet with Zelensky, with special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg telling The Post last week Trump is dead-set on getting a conversation going about securing billions worth of rare-earth minerals from Ukraine in exchange for US security guarantees.






