After calls with both countries’ leaders on Wednesday, President Donald Trump seems hopeful that the war between Ukraine and Russia could be nearing its end.
Trump shared his take on phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a series of posts to Truth Social. Trump called his first call with Putin since assuming the presidency “highly productive” and announced plans to send Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to mediate negotiations between the two countries in Munich.
“We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump shared. “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.”
Trump said he felt “strongly” that the negotiations would be successful and added that the nearly three-year-long conflict “would not have happened” had Trump won the presidential election in 2020.
Trump painted a subsequent conversation with Zelenskyy in an equally cheery light.
“He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE,” Trump shared. “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.”
Trump laid the groundwork for these meetings well before assuming office, making calls to Zelenskyy while he was still just the president-elect. The president campaigned on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, threatening to end aid for the latter nation.
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