President Donald Trump announced that he will meet Vladimir Putin for peace talks on Ukraine, with the first sit-down likely to take place in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement came after a 90-minute phone call between the two leaders, during which they agreed to work toward a resolution of the ongoing conflict.
“We expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there, and we’re going to meet also, probably in Saudi Arabia,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “The first time, we’ll meet in Saudi Arabia, see if we get something done.”
Zelenskyy Not Included in Initial Talks
Trump indicated that the first meeting would be between himself and Putin alone, without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. When asked if he would visit Ukraine, Trump said he would “think about it.” He added that a follow-up meeting could be arranged depending on progress made.
Trump also placed blame on his predecessor, Joe Biden, for failing to resolve the war earlier. “This should’ve been done by Biden, not by me,” he said.
Ukraine Pushes for U.S. Pressure on Putin
Zelenskyy responded to the news, expressing hope that Trump could use his influence to push Putin toward a peace agreement. “We believe that America’s strength is sufficient to pressure Russia and Putin into peace,” Zelenskyy said in a video statement following his own call with Trump.
Earlier in the day, Trump had spoken with both leaders separately, stating, “I think we’re on the way to any peace. I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelensky wants peace. I want peace.”
Trump and Putin Plan U.S. and Russia Summits
In addition to the Saudi Arabia meeting, Trump and Putin agreed to visit each other’s countries in future talks. If Trump follows through, he would become the first U.S. president to visit Russia since Barack Obama in 2013.
Trump later took to Truth Social, reiterating his campaign slogan, saying, “President Putin even used my very strong campaign motto of ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both believe very strongly in it.”
He also confirmed that negotiations would begin immediately, with his administration updating Zelenskyy on the progress.
U.S. Ends Military Aid to Ukraine
Trump’s announcement came as his administration declared that it would end all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, shifting the responsibility to European allies. The decision delivers a major blow to Kyiv, which has relied heavily on American support since the war began.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the move, saying the U.S. “will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship” where America shoulders most of the burden. He also ruled out sending U.S. troops to Ukraine, a major security concern for Zelensky’s government.
Will Trump’s Strategy End the War?
Trump remains confident that his direct approach will bring an end to the conflict. “Millions of people have died in a war that would not have happened if I were president, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost,” he wrote.
The planned negotiations mark the first direct engagement between a U.S. president and Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Trump insists both leaders want peace, whether his strategy will succeed remains to be seen.
