Trump calls Zelenskyy: First details of the presidents' conversation
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (collage by RBC-Ukraine)
US President Donald Trump said he had a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with several European Union leaders also taking part, according to his post on Truth Social.
According to Trump, after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he already called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The call was also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Other details of the conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy have not been disclosed at this time.
For more information about the conversation between Trump and Putin, read the full article by RBC-Ukraine.
Zelenskyy talks about conversation with Trump
Zelenskyy confirmed media reports that he had two phone conversations with Trump — one before and one after the US President spoke with Putin.
"We discussed things that are very important for Ukraine. This includes a ceasefire — something we've talked about both in Istanbul and consistently before that. Secondly, it's the US readiness to take more serious sanctions steps," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, he asked Trump to consider sanctions against Russia if it does not support ending the war.
"I asked him, before his conversation with Putin, not to make decisions about Ukraine without us. For us, these are fundamental and very important matters. We also agreed that we would have another contact after his conversation with Putin. Our talk was quite lengthy — I think it lasted more than an hour," Zelenskyy said.
Talks in Istanbul
Last Friday, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul. The talks were initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to a joint proposal by Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States for a 30-day comprehensive ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he was ready for direct talks with Putin. However, instead of attending himself, Russia sent a lower-level diplomatic delegation, effectively ignoring Kyiv's proposal.
The talks lasted for about an hour and ended with little to no result. The Russian side put forward demands including Ukraine's recognition of the annexation of Crimea and four occupied regions, the adoption of a neutral status, the rejection of reparations, and guarantees for the rights of Russian-speaking citizens in accordance with European standards.
The only achievement of the meeting was an agreement to exchange prisoners of war on a 1,000 for 1,000 basis.
Trump's reaction to the talks
Earlier, Donald Trump stated that he might travel to Türkiye, where the Ukrainian and Russian delegations were meeting. He noted he would go "if it is appropriate."
However, he later changed his position, saying the visit would happen as soon as such a meeting could be arranged.
Announcement of calls with Putin and Zelenskyy
Following his statements, Trump wrote on social media that he would call Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine and a range of other issues.
Later, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations for the call were underway.
At the same time, Trump also announced a planned conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
