US President Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Zelensky for 30 minutes, expressing a desire to end the war within a month.
The Conversation
A 30-minute conversation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky occurred a day after the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This was their first contact since a January meeting in Davos. According to a Ukrainian official and two sources familiar with the conversation, the tone was “very friendly and positive.” White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff also participated in the call. Zelenski reportedly thanked Trump for his support to date and stated that only he could persuade the Russian leader to end the war.
Too Long a War
One source from Axios reported that Zelenski expressed hope for ending the war this year. Trump’s response was unequivocal: “The war has already lasted too long. I would like it to end within a month,” the US president reportedly said. The White House did not comment on the reported content of the conversation. This declaration is another signal that the US president would like to reach a peace agreement before summer. However, significant differences remain between Kyiv and Moscow, particularly regarding control of territories in eastern Ukraine. Previously, Trump during his election campaign had announced that he would end military actions within one day of taking office.
Geneva Talks and Leaders’ Summit
The conversation took place the day before planned negotiations in Geneva. On Thursday, February 26, Ukrainian and American teams are scheduled to meet there. It is not excluded that Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev may also appear in the city at the same time, conducting separate talks with Americans. One of the key topics of the Trump-Zelensky conversation was the possibility of organizing a trilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenski last week suggested that territorial differences could be overcome through direct talks among the three leaders. According to sources, Trump declared that he would work on organizing such a meeting if the planned March talks bring progress.
Security Guarantees for Ukraine
According to a Ukrainian official who spoke with Axios, Trump again declared his willingness to provide Ukraine with “significant American security guarantees” as part of a potential peace agreement with Russia. Zelenski also emphasized the importance of American military support, including deliveries of missiles for air defense systems, which helped Ukraine survive the most difficult winter since the beginning of the war.