(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in separate phone calls on Monday and indicated afterward that a ceasefire may finally be in reach.
Trump spoke highly of his call with Putin on Truth Social on Monday afternoon, after Putin didn’t show for peace talks in Istanbul while Trump was in the Middle East.
“Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well,” Trump wrote.
Although Trump has pushed hard for an end to the fighting since taking office, often saying that the war started because Russia felt emboldened to strike while former President Joe Biden was in office, it has at times appeared the two countries were still far from any kind of deal. Trump said they would finally begin working toward a ceasefire in his Truth Social post.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War. The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump wrote.
The president said he had “informed” Zelenskyy and other European leaders of Putin’s seeming willingness to negotiate a ceasefire and that negotiations would, again, start immediately.
He also said Russia was interested in major trade with the United States, as he has indicated that long-term U.S. economic sanctions might be at least partially lifted should Russia reach a peace arrangement with Ukraine.
“Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.”
America has given Ukraine billions in aid since Russia invaded the country and launched a full-scale offensive in February 2022. Although Putin has been reluctant to work toward peace, American leaders have also shown frustration with Zelenskyy, particularly in the notorious White House meeting between the Ukrainian leader and Trump and senior administration officials in February.
Trump had not released the details of his Monday conversations with Zelenskyy as of late Monday afternoon.
Russia felt emboldened to strike while former President Joe Biden was in office
Peace through weakness just doesn’t work.
Putin. not the Russian people is the real enemy and there will be no lasting peace while the modern Version of Stalin sits in power eliminating all who oppose him in true Stalinist beheadings. Anyone who would kill innocent civilians including women and children would not hesitate to break any peace agreement which there will be none so long as Putin remains in power, sitting in and weaving his webs just waiting for the next fat fly to ensnare themselves in his traps. Anything signed by Putin will last no linger than the agreement Hitler Made with Stalin not to attck themsemves but divide up Poland, who then opportunistically invaded the Soviet Union when their guard was down. EVERYONE should understand Putin’s true advetised and stated intentions to regain the territoryof the former Sovidet Union is just as real as Hitler described in his book “Mein Kamph” his true intentions to take as much slavic eastern European land for German settlement of his own master race.
BUT WILL there be a brave soul or two in Russia, who will work to try and OUST Putin, when they have seen JUST HOW FAR HE GOES TO stay in power…
EVEN if he agrees to it, can we TRUST PUTIN TO hold up his side?
Never seen anything like this. Be interested to know how this will play in future history books. More importantly, how will US role be recorded.
Dude and his enterprise(empire) probably has so much potential opportunities with Russia, he’s unable to really tate a stance. He just wants this to end. We know who’s wrong, or what has to happen for peace, but most just hold their opinion. Pray for peace