Ukraine war talks begin as Trump, Putin hold phone call

New Delhi, Feb 13: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to commence negotiations to end the war in Ukraine following a “lengthy and highly productive” phone call on Wednesday, according to BBC and other news agencies.

In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump revealed that both leaders had “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.” The conversation, which lasted nearly ninety minutes, also saw Putin extend an invitation for Trump to visit Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the media.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile, stated that he had spoken with Trump regarding a lasting and reliable peace. However, the developments have cast further uncertainty over Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, with both Trump and his Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, affirming that Kyiv’s membership in the alliance was unlikely. BBC reported that Hegseth, addressing NATO leaders in Brussels, said the war “must end” and that European nations should take the lead in ensuring post-war security for Ukraine. He emphasized that there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine.

CNN reported that Wednesday’s NATO summit, convened to coordinate military aid for Ukraine, instead highlighted a shift in US policy that appeared to align with some of Moscow’s key demands. “The Trump administration upended the alliance’s approach to this almost three-year-old war,” CNN reported, adding that European leaders were struggling to maintain a unified front.

While Trump has not set a date for an in-person meeting with Putin, he told reporters at the White House: “We’ll meet in Saudi Arabia.” Additionally, he suggested that both leaders had invited each other to their respective capitals.

CNN reported that a potential ceasefire could involve territorial swaps, with Russia ceding parts of its western Kursk region in exchange for Ukrainian-held areas under Russian occupation.

Additionally, Trump has hinted at upcoming elections in Ukraine, suggesting that “at some point you’re going to have an election,” likely referencing the expiration of Zelensky’s presidential term in May 2024. However, Zelensky has maintained that ongoing war and martial law make elections impractical. Putin, for his part, has consistently questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy to negotiate any peace agreement.

Trump-Putin summit in Saudi Arabia?

The US-Russia talks, coupled with a potential Trump-Putin summit in Saudi Arabia, if happens suggest that European leaders may be sidelined in peace negotiations. In a joint statement, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, the European Union, the European Commission, and the United Kingdom warned that “Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations.”

As CNN reported, they also delivered a pointed message to Trump, cautioning that “a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is a necessary condition for a strong transatlantic security.” With Trump who is in a hurry and eager for a deal at any cost, European nations are now working to ensure that any settlement does not come at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty or the stability of NATO.