Trump Announces Immediate Ukraine Peace Negotiations Following Call with President Putin

On 12 February 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to initiate immediate negotiations to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This decision followed a lengthy and productive telephone conversation between the two leaders. President Trump emphasized the urgency of halting the war to prevent further loss of life, stating, "We both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine."

Following his discussion with President Putin, President Trump held a separate phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Zelenskyy described the conversation as "meaningful," noting that they "talked about opportunities to achieve peace" and discussed Ukraine's technological capabilities. He added, "No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace."

The specifics regarding the format, participants, or timeline of the forthcoming negotiations have not been disclosed. However, President Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to lead the American delegation in the talks.

In a related development, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that it is unrealistic for Ukraine to aim to recover all its territory occupied by Russia since 2014. He emphasized that pursuing this goal "will only prolong the war and cause more suffering." Hegseth also mentioned that NATO membership for Ukraine is not a feasible outcome of any peace agreement and clarified that U.S. troops would not be deployed to Ukraine as part of any security guarantees.

The international community is closely monitoring these developments, with European leaders expressing concerns about ensuring that Ukraine's interests and sovereignty are upheld in any negotiated settlement. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated, "We are very attached to a pathway for Ukraine towards NATO. If there is a peace, we need security guarantees so that it is fair and lasting."

Image: Office of the President of the Russian Federation Licence.