President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had “a lengthy and highly productive phone call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and they had they agreed on “starting negotiations immediately” to end the war in Ukraine, which has claimed millions of Russian and Ukrainian lives.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would put Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, in charge of the negotiations.
“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 wrote.
Trump noted that during the call Putin used his “very strong Campaign motto of common sense”, and added: “we both believe very strongly in it.”
He also said they had agreed to work closely together and visit each other’s country.
The breakthrough comes a day after the U.S. and Russia negotiated a deal for the release of American detainee Marc Fogel, who arrested in Moscow on drug charges in 2021.
The U.S. agreed to release a Russian crypto-hacker named Alexander Vinnik as part of the exchange deal, Axios reported.
Vinnik was extradited to the U.S. in 2022 and two years later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. In recent months he has been awaiting to be sentenced. As part of the deal, Vinnik is forfeiting $100 million in digital assets to the U.S. government, White House officials said.
Waltz, Witkoff and officials from the State Department and the CIA were all reportedly involved in the negotiations for the prisoner exchange. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was also “instrumental” in getting the deal, Witkoff told reporters, Tuesday.
“He has a very strong friendship with President Trump. He encouraged and pushed behind the scenes. He was a cheerleader for the deal and for the two leaders to come together,” Witkoff said.
Trump said on Truth Social that he believes the war negotiations will also be successful.
“Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end,” he wrote. “No more lives should be lost! I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!”
After the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, the U.S. under Joe Biden, provided a total of $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. Much of that money has not been accounted for.
Soon after his conversation with Putin, the president spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to update him about his call with Putin. Trump said Zelensky is also eager to make peace with Russia.
“The conversation went very well,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE. We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the War, but mostly, the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the Delegation. 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. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!”
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