 "File photos of Donald Trump (left) and Vladimir Putin")
Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had a “lengthy” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet the US president.
“I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Trump and Putin last met at a summit in Alaska in August—their first meeting since Trump’s re-election. The event was promoted as a potential move toward peace in Ukraine, following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
With global media watching, the leaders held private talks, rolled out red-carpet ceremonies, and took part in a rare joint press conference.
However, the meeting ended without any significant progress.
The call between Trump and Putin comes just a day before Zelenskyy is set to meet the US president at the White House.
Zelenskyy is expected to urge the US to supply long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to aid Ukraine’s defence against Russian forces.
Earlier this week, Trump hinted that he might support sending the missiles, which have a range of 2,500 km—enough to reach Moscow from Ukraine. This marks Zelenskyy’s third visit to Washington since January.