Trump Announces Big News About Ending Russia's War in Ukraine
President Trump says he has spoken to the Russian and Ukrainian presidents about ending the war in Ukraine, and ceasefire negotiations will begin soon.
A White House delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now expected to meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich on Friday to discuss steps toward peace.
Trump spoke first to Putin in a lengthy, wide-ranging phone call. "We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other's Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately," Trump posted on social media.
Later, in a separate post, Trump said, "I just spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The conversation went very well. He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE. ...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!"
Zelenskyy also spoke out after the conversation, stating on X, “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. As President Trump said, let’s get it done. We agreed to maintain further contact and plan upcoming meetings.”
Trump's announcement came shortly after his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged NATO leaders to abandon their hopes of restoring Ukraine's pre-2014 borders and instead prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia.
He also said it's not feasible for NATO to admit Ukraine to the alliance. "The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement," Hegseth said.
Both of those points are disappointing news for Ukraine.
Hegseth's comments came while attending a meeting of Kyiv’s backers at NATO headquarters. He also added that a peace arrangement with Russia should be policed by an international force but no U.S. troops.
Russia has demanded that NATO not admit Ukraine into the alliance. Ukrainian allies like the UK and France aren't supporting the Trump administration's proposal to block Ukraine from NATO.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that if the West abandons Ukraine, it would "entrench the law of the strongest. It would be an invitation to all the world’s tyrants and despots to invade their neighbors with complete impunity."
