U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, February 12, that he is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The announcement follows a significant phone call between the two leaders, marking their first confirmed contact since Trump returned to the White House.
The “lengthy and highly productive” conversation, lasting nearly an hour and a half, saw both leaders agree that “the time has come to work together” toward ending the war in Ukraine, which has caused millions of deaths.
Trump shared the details of the call on his Truth Social platform, stating that both leaders were united in their desire to halt the ongoing bloodshed.
The upcoming meeting, set to take place in the near future, is expected to include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has recently played a role in a U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange.
Following the talks in Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin has also extended an invitation for Trump to visit Moscow.
Trump, who has consistently called for a quick resolution to the conflict, emphasized that Ukraine’s push to join NATO—a central issue for Russia—was “not practical.”
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However, he reassured that Ukraine’s interests would be considered in the peace process. The two leaders have agreed to begin negotiations immediately, with teams from both sides working on potential solutions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not part of the call but later spoke with Trump, who reassured him that both the U.S. and Russia were committed to peace.
Zelensky, however, reiterated Ukraine’s firm stance that its “independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty” must not be compromised.
The announcement of these peace talks has sparked concerns, particularly in Ukraine and Europe, where there are fears that the U.S. may be compromising too much with Russia.
While Trump’s efforts are praised by some, Ukrainian officials and European leaders have stressed that any peace agreement must include Ukraine and its European partners.
