Official statements from the White House or Kremlin, or credible news reports

Trump Plans Call with Putin to Address Ukraine War, Lay Groundwork for Meeting

Jan 20, 2025, 06:43 AM

Donald Trump, the newly inaugurated U.S. President, has instructed his aides to arrange a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin within days of taking office. According to a CNN report, the call aims to lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting in the coming months. The primary focus of the discussions will be to explore potential solutions to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump's team reportedly began preparations for this call weeks ago, with formal arrangements for the meeting expected to commence after the inauguration. Possible locations for the meeting include Switzerland and Serbia. Mike Waltz, Trump’s nominee for national security advisor, highlighted Ukraine’s personnel shortage as a key issue, emphasizing the need for increased efforts to stabilize the front lines. Russian officials, including Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, have expressed openness to dialogue but noted that formal preparations would only begin post-inauguration.