Putin agrees to peace talks, but Ukraine’s NATO dream crushed

President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday that he had a lengthy conversation with Vladimir Putin, during which the Russian leader agreed to immediately begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

“We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s nations,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that the first step would be calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to inform him of the discussion.

Trump has tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations.

The White House also announced that Trump also spoke to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenkskyy. According to Trump’s White House team, Zelenskyy also expressed his hope for peace.

Ukrainian official confirmed that Trump has held a phone call with Zelenskyy.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the meanwhile said a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must include security guarantees for Ukraine, but that they “should not be provided through NATO membership, but must instead be backed by capable European and non-European troops.

It is a clear setback for Ukraine’s hopes of NATO membership.

Trump Claims War Wouldn’t Have Happened Under His Presidency

The former president has long insisted that Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine would never have occurred if he had been in office at the time. Now, with his second term underway, he is vowing to end the conflict once and for all.

He noted that his conversation with Putin also touched on decades of U.S.-Russia history, including their cooperation in World War II. “We both reflected on the great history of our nations,” Trump said, adding that Russia suffered “tens of millions of casualties” during the war.

Putin Echoes Trump’s Campaign Slogan

During their conversation, Trump claimed Putin even repeated his campaign motto, ‘Common Sense,’ when discussing the need to stop the bloodshed.

“We talked about the strengths of our nations and the great benefits of working together,” Trump wrote. “But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Russia and Ukraine.”

Trump Thanks Putin for American Hostage Release

Trump’s announcement came just hours after Marc Fogel, an American teacher imprisoned in Russia since 2021, returned to the U.S. following a negotiated exchange. Trump thanked Putin for his cooperation in securing Fogel’s release, though details of the deal remain unclear.

“Millions of people have died in a war that would not have happened if I were president,” Trump wrote. “But it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost!”

He expressed optimism that the new peace talks would lead to a resolution soon, signaling a dramatic shift in U.S.-Russia relations under his administration.