President Trump engaged in a second phone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin within a 24-hour timeframe, a move that closely follows his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Miami. The central aim of these high-level communications is to advance efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed the conversation, announcing on X that President Trump had a “positive call with President Putin concerning Ukraine.” The dialogue also reportedly addressed current security situations. Citing Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, reports indicated that President Trump was taken aback by an alleged incident at the Russian president’s residence, an accusation that Ukraine has since denied.
A noteworthy comment attributed to President Trump during the call was, “Thank God we didn’t give Zelensky Tomahawk missiles.” This statement reflects the complex geopolitical landscape and the sensitive nature of military support in conflict resolution. The Kremlin had previously indicated that further communication between Putin and Trump was imminent, leading to this rapid second call.
In advance of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, Trump had characterized a prior call with President Putin as “good and very productive.” He expressed considerable optimism about the peace process, stating his belief that Moscow was genuinely interested in achieving a peaceful conclusion to the conflict.
President Trump suggested that a resolution to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was closer than ever. However, he acknowledged that progress on the difficult question of territorial sovereignty remained limited. After concluding his talks with President Zelenskyy, Trump described the ongoing peace discussions as being in their “final stages,” while also cautioning that no specific timeline had been established for an agreement.