President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about a proposed peace agreement with Ukraine. President Trump has expressed optimism about persuading Putin to accept the deal, though skepticism remains, particularly from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The call got underway at 10 a.m. and lasted for nearly two hours.
"The call is going well," White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino said as the call was ongoing.
According to a readout from the White House, Putin and President Trump discussed the "need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war," agreeing that the war should end with a "lasting peace."
President Trump and Putin also discussed ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with the White House indicating that a de-escalation in the region could prevent future conflicts.
"The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East," the White House said.
In the meantime, Russian state media reported that Putin agreed with Trump on ending strikes on energy infrastructure, and that Putin would order his military not to strike Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days. Russian state media also reported that Putin would hand over 23 wounded Ukrainian troops "as a gesture of goodwill."
This marks the first conversation between President Trump and Putin since Ukraine in principle agreed to a version of a ceasefire just days ago.
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Independent estimates suggest that Russian military casualties have exceeded 100,000 over the course of the conflict. Trump stated on Truth Social overnight that many components of a final agreement have already been reached between the U.S. and the Kremlin. However, he acknowledged that some major issues remain unresolved, such as territorial boundaries in Ukraine and Russia. Additionally, he mentioned that discussions would also involve power plants.
"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW. I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," President Trump wrote.
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This call followed a private meeting between a senior foreign policy adviser and Putin just days prior, setting the stage for today’s conversation. The main focus remains on the potential ceasefire in Eastern Europe amidst a backdrop of significant international events, including tensions in the Middle East where a ceasefire has collapsed after Israel struck Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 400 Palestinians.
