President Donald Trump revealed on Thursday that he was in the middle of a live conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I am speaking to President Putin now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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!”
A White House official confirmed to Newsmax that the call was indeed taking place.
Trump announced that high-level US and Russian officials will meet next week — and that he will talk face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary to try again to end Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
Trump did not specify further when either meeting would take place, but did say that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would lead the US delegation at the initial sitdown.
Earlier in the day, Trump had told reporters at the White House that he was speaking with Putin about the possibility of supplying NATO — and by extension, Ukraine — with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The discussion came just one day before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, where the two leaders are expected to talk about the potential transfer of Tomahawks.
Trump said last week that he had informed Zelenskyy he might present Putin with an ultimatum: to either enter serious peace negotiations or face the prospect of Ukraine being armed with Tomahawk missiles.
The back-to-back talks underscore Trump’s current approach — exerting strategic pressure on Moscow while leaving the door open for diplomacy.
When pressed by reporters last week on whether he had finalized his decision about arming Ukraine with Tomahawks, Trump offered a measured response, saying he had “sort of made a decision” but wanted more information first.
“I think I want to find out what they’re doing with them,” he said. “Where are they sending them? I guess I’d have to ask that question.”
“I would ask some questions. I’m not looking to escalate that war,” he added.
Trump has made it clear that under his administration, there will be no blanket shipments of free weapons or aid to Ukraine. Instead, he has told NATO allies they are welcome to purchase the weapons and distribute them as they see fit, while he remains focused on acting as a peace broker between Russia and Ukraine.
{Matzav.com}
