Putin and Trump to begin talks on ending Ukraine war

Donald Trump yesterday said he and Russian president Vladimir Putin agreed by phone to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine and will work together, very closely”.

- ALASTAIR JAMIESON

Announcing a huge shift in US foreign policy via social media, the US president said that the leaders are to meet in person and their respective teams will start talks "immediately".

Mr Trump said that he and Mr Putin will probably meet in Saudi Arabia first. The president said the date had not been set yet, but that it would be in the “not too distant future”. He added that he would be dealing with Mr Putin “largely on the phone”.

The Kremlin said Mr Putin and Mr Trump had agreed to meet, and that Mr Putin had invited the US president to visit Moscow.

Mr Trump also spoke at length with Volodymyr Zelensky, with the Ukrainian president’s aide describing it as a “good conversation”. But it came as US defence secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out Nato membership for Ukraine – the stance agreed by Britain, Europe, and Joe Biden – and suggested Kyiv should abandon hope of a return to its pre-2014 borders.

Sir Keir Starmer responded that Britain would not soften its support for Ukraine, saying it “needs to be in the strongest possible position” ahead of any talks.