Trump calls talks with Putin ‘productive’

On Friday, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, said there is a “very good chance” the war between Russia and Ukraine can end after Washington had a “productive” discussion with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

President Trump added that he had entreated that Putin spare the lives of “completely surrounded” Ukrainian troops, apparently referring to Ukrainian forces being pushed back out of the Kursk region, their only foothold on Russian territory.

Trump said in a Truth Social post, “We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end.”

On Thursday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had spoken to Putin, but Trump had not spoken to him yet.

According to an anonymous source, Witkoff had a long meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday night.

According to the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, Putin used the meeting to send a “signal” to Trump through Witkoff. He stated that Russia and the United States would work out the timing of a phone call between Putin and Trump once Witkoff briefed Trump.

President Trump said he wants Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a ceasefire to pause the war which he warned has the potential to spiral into World War III.