Trump, Putin agree to start ‘negotiations’ on ending Ukraine battle

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a gathering in Helsinki on July 16, 2018.
| Photograph Credit score: AFP

President Donald Trump stated he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed throughout a cellphone name Wednesday to start “negotiations” on ending the Ukraine battle and would “work collectively, very intently” towards winding down the battle.

“We every talked concerning the strengths of our respective Nations, and the good profit that we are going to sometime have in working collectively,” Trump stated in a social media put up disclosing particulars a few name that adopted a prisoner swap between the 2 nations. “However first, as we each agreed, we need to cease the hundreds of thousands of deaths happening within the Conflict with Russia/Ukraine.

The Republican president stated the leaders additionally “agreed to have our respective groups begin negotiations instantly” and can be alerting Ukrainian chief Volodymyr Zelenskyy about their dialog.

White Home officers declined to make clear whether or not Ukraine can be a celebration to the U.S. negotiations with Russia.

The decision got here on the heels of a prisoner swap during which Russia launched American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, of Pennsylvania, after greater than three years of detention on drug prices. Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian legal, is being freed as a part of the swap that noticed Moscow’s launch of Fogel, in accordance with individuals conversant in the deal who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate nonpublic particulars.

Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece on the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud prices and was later extradited to america, the place he pleaded responsible final 12 months to conspiracy to commit cash laundering. He’s presently in custody in California awaiting transport to return to Russia, the officers stated.

The Kremlin stated Wednesday {that a} Russian citizen was freed in america in change for Fogel however refused to determine him till he arrives in Russia.

Trump welcomed Fogel on the White Home on Tuesday night after his return to U.S. soil.

Fogel, an American historical past instructor who was deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, was launched in what the White Home described as a diplomatic thaw that would advance negotiations to finish the preventing in Ukraine. Fogel was arrested in August 2021 and was serving a 14-year jail sentence.

Steve Witkoff, a particular envoy for Trump, left Russia with Fogel and took him to the White Home, the place Trump greeted him. Fogel was anticipated to be reunited along with his household.

Trump declined to say if he spoke with Putin about Fogel and did not say what america offered in change for Fogel’s launch.

Talking to reporters on the White Home on Tuesday, Trump urged that Fogel’s launch may assist anchor a peace deal on Ukraine, saying: “We had been handled very properly by Russia, truly. I hope that’s the start of a relationship the place we will finish that battle.”

The Kremlin was extra cautious, however it additionally famous that the deal may assist strengthen mutual belief.

Putin invited Trump to Moscow to debate Ukraine, Kremlin says

In the meantime the Kremlin stated that Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump agreed to fulfill sooner or later and Mr. Putin invited Mr. Trump to Moscow.

Mr. Putin final spoke to a sitting U.S. President in February 2022 when he had a name with Joe Biden shortly earlier than ordering hundreds of troops into Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump mentioned the Center East, bilateral relations, Ukraine and a prisoner change between Washington and Moscow, state information company TASS reported.

“The Russian President invited the U.S. president to go to Moscow and expressed his readiness to obtain American officers in Russia in these areas of mutual curiosity, together with, in fact, the subject of the Ukrainian settlement,” Mr. Peskov stated. “Putin and Trump additionally agreed to proceed private contacts, together with arranging a face-to-face assembly.”

Mr. Trump, writer of the 1987 guide Trump: the Artwork of the Deal, has repeatedly stated he desires to finish the battle and that he’ll meet Mr. Putin to debate it, although the date or venue for a summit continues to be not publicly recognized.