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President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House, to begin coordinating next steps in the peace process aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The president posted on his Truth Social platform Monday evening saying that he had called Putin at the conclusion of a day of meetings to begin “the arrangements for a meeting” between the Russian president and his Ukrainian counterpart. Trump’s call to Putin mirrored his decision to call Zelenskyy following Friday’s Alaska summit with Putin.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” Trump confirmed, following media reports hinting at the call.
TRUMP: ZELENSKYY MEETING NOT ‘END OF THE ROAD’ FOR US SUPPORT IN SECURING PEACE DEAL
Trump coordinates Putin-Zelenskyy talks after White House meetings on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (Getty Images)
The president added that after the meeting between the two warring presidents, there would be a trilateral meeting with the United States as well.
“After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” the president continued. “Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”
Yury Ushakov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Trump and Putin were on the phone for about 40 minutes and held a “candid and very constructive” dialogue, according to CNN.
Putin “expressed support for direct negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine,” Ushakov reportedly added.
President Donald Trump said he is working on brokering a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following Monday’s peace talks in Washington, D.C., with European leaders. (Reuters )
TRUMP SAYS CEASEFIRE NOT NECESSARY FOR PEACE DURING HIGH-STAKES MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY
Officials familiar with Monday’s talks also reportedly said Trump’s call to Putin came in-between talks with the European leaders present at the White House. Meanwhile, one of those leaders, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reportedly said Putin agreed in the call with Trump to meet Zelenskyy in two weeks.
Earlier in the day, Trump was caught in a hot-mic moment telling French President Emmanuel Macron that Putin wants to find a resolution to bring the war in Ukraine to an end for him.
President Donald Trump sits next to French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House on Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“I think [Putin] wants to make a deal,” Trump whispered to Macron in the East Room as they were preparing for Monday’s talks. “I think he wants to make a deal for me, you understand that? As crazy as it sounds.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on this but did not receive a response.
