President-elect Donald Trump reportedly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid further escalation in Ukraine during a recent phone call, according to The Washington Post.
The conversation took place on Thursday from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, just days after his unexpected victory over Democratic opponent Kamala Harris. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, declined to confirm the call, stating, “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders.”
Citing anonymous sources familiar with the call, The Post reported that Trump reminded Putin of the United States’ strong military presence in Europe and expressed interest in working toward “a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine.”
On Sunday, Trump also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with the two leaders reportedly agreeing to collaborate on a path toward peace in Europe, according to Scholz’s spokesperson.
Trump’s stance could significantly impact the conflict, which has persisted for nearly three years. He has voiced intentions to end the fighting quickly and questioned the U.S.’s substantial financial support for Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke with Trump on Wednesday in a call that included tech mogul Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden plans to expedite aid to Ukraine before Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that the White House aims to bolster Ukraine’s position, both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, using the remaining $6 billion allocated for Ukrainian support.
The Kremlin reacted cautiously to Trump’s outreach. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday, “The signals are positive… At least he’s talking about peace, not confrontation.”
Throughout his campaign, Trump pledged to end the Ukraine conflict quickly but offered few details. He and his allies have criticized ongoing U.S. funding for Ukraine, arguing that it sustains a “pro-war” defense network.
Donald Trump Jr. added fuel to the conversation by posting a video on Instagram showing Zelensky with Trump, captioned, “POV: You’re 38 days from losing your allowance.”
Analysts predict that any rapid deal in Ukraine might require Kyiv to make concessions on territory lost to Russian forces in the south and east. Former Trump adviser Bryan Lanza suggested that Ukraine should abandon its aim to reclaim Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Kyiv has firmly resisted ceding territory, insisting that making concessions would embolden Putin’s aggression—a stance echoed by European allies like Britain and France.
During his call with Putin, Trump reportedly touched on the territorial issue briefly, though specific details remain unknown.
Both sides in the conflict appear to be positioning themselves for negotiations. Ukraine has regained some occupied areas, while Russian forces continue to advance. Over the weekend, both nations launched extensive drone attacks, with Ukraine claiming Russia deployed 145 drones overnight, while Russia stated it had intercepted 34 Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow on Sunday.
