US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and discussed Ukraine’s attack on Russia’s docked aeroplanes and various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides.
Trump said that his conversation with Putin was “good” but “not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace.” He said that Putin “very strongly” said that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated, “I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes. We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked aeroplanes by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
Trump said that he and Putin also spoke about Iran and noted that time is running out for Iran’s decision related to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly. He said that Putin suggested he would participate in talks with Iran and that he could help reach a rapid conclusion.
“We also discussed Iran, and the fact that time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly! I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement.
President Putin suggested that he would participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion. It is my opinion that Iran has been slow walking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The talks between the two leaders came after Ukraine and Russia conducted some of the largest drone attacks since the war began nearly three years ago. Ukraine carried out a significant drone attack on Sunday targeting deep inside Russian territory, destroying dozens of nuclear-capable bombers and other military aircraft. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend a meeting of 50 defence ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, which is important for coordinating military aid for Ukraine, Politico reported.
It marks the first time in three years that the US Defence Secretary will not attend the meeting. NATO defence ministers and others have regularly held meetings to coordinate funding for Kyiv, and have emerged as an important component of Western aid for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia. However, the Trump administration has maintained distance from the group, handing over leadership to Germany and the UK. Hegseth will be in Brussels for a meeting of NATO defence ministers on Thursday. However, US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker will attend the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on his behalf on Wednesday, Politico reported, citing a defence official and two people familiar with their plans, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters. The US Defence Department has cited scheduling issues for his absence from the meeting.
In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said, “Secretary Hegseth’s travel schedule precluded attendance at tomorrow’s UDCG meeting.” She further stated, “The United States is focused on ending the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, on terms that establish an enduring peace.”
Earlier on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said US President Donald Trump remains optimistic about the progress being seen amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and urged his counterparts from Russia and Ukraine to talk directly with one another. While addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, Leavitt noted that Russia had handed over a peace plan to the Ukrainian side, and the two nations had agreed on the exchange of prisoners from each other’s nations. When asked about Trump’s statement on the Russia-Ukraine war following the Ukrainian drone strike, Karoline Leavitt said, “The President’s thinking on the Russia-Ukraine war as it stands, I’ve spoken to him about it just this morning, is that he remains positive at the progress that we’ve seen. Again, he urged both leaders to sit down and talk directly with one another, and they did that. Russia handed over a memorandum of peace, or a peace plan, or a suggestion of one, I understand, to the Ukrainian side. They also agreed upon the exchange of prisoners or hostages from each other’s countries.”
“He remains positive about the progress that we’re seeing, but he also is a realist and he realises these are two countries that are at war and have been for a long time because of his predecessor’s weakness and incompetence. So he’s working hard to solve this conflict. And that’s where his mind is right now on it,” she added.
Russia and Ukraine held a second round of direct talks in Istanbul on Monday. The two nations agreed to swap dead and captured soldiers, The Washington Post reported. However, there was no significant progress towards ending the war or even agreeing to a ceasefire. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, stated that Russia did not agree to an unconditional ceasefire or a bilateral meeting between the leaders of the two nations. However, both nations agreed to exchange gravely wounded prisoners of war, captives under the age of 25, and the bodies of 6,000 killed soldiers from each side.
