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Trump, Putin agree to 'immediately' begin negotiations to end Russia-Ukraine war

By Stephen KokxFebruary 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Trump, Putin agree to 'immediately' begin negotiations to end Russia-Ukraine war
Chris McGrath/Getty Images | U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a joint press conference after their summit on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland.

President Donald Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a 'highly productive' phone call on Wednesday that has resulted in them agreeing to 'start negotiations immediately' to end the conflict in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) -- President Donald Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a “highly productive” phone call on Wednesday that has resulted in them agreeing to “start negotiations immediately” to end the conflict in Ukraine.

“We want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war,” Trump said on Truth Social. “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s nations.” 

News of Trump and Putin’s joint desire to begin the peace process comes just days after Trump sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine to negotiate a deal with President Volodymyr Zelensky over rare earth and other minerals.

Trump told Fox News this week that the deal is basically designed to compensate the U.S. for the money it has already spent on the country. President Zelensky told the Associated Press last week that he doesn’t know what happened to $100 billion the U.S. has sent his country.

READ: 90% of Ukraine news outlets get funding from USAID: new report

Trump revealed that he has asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Special Ambassador Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations, adding that “millions of people have died in a war that would not have happened if I were president.” 

Trump also announced on Truth Social Wednesday that he spoke to President Zelensky himself. While praising their phone call as having gone “very well,” Trump noted that Zelensky, “like Putin, wants to make PEACE.” 

“It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!” Trump exclaimed. 

This story is developing…

World
February 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
SK

Stephen Kokx

Stephen Kokx is a journalist for LifeSiteNews. A former community college instructor, Stephen has written and spoken extensively about Catholic social teaching, politics, and spirituality. He previously worked for the Archdiocese of Chicago under the late Francis Cardinal George. His essays have appeared in a variety of outlets, including Catholic Family News and CatholicVote.org. He is the author of two books, Navigating the Crisis in the Church: Essays in Defense of Traditional Catholicism and St. Alphonsus for the 21st Century: A Handbook for Holiness.
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  • President Donald Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a 'highly productive' phone call on Wednesday that has resulted in them agreeing to 'start negotiations immediately' to end the conflict in Ukraine.

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