Former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reconnected in a phone call on Wednesday, marking their first conversation since a tense Oval Office meeting in February.
Trump described the call as “very good,” signaling a shift in their strained relationship.
According to Trump, much of their discussion revolved around his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The main focus was aligning the interests of Russia and Ukraine to facilitate a partial ceasefire, which was agreed upon during Trump’s call with Putin the day before.
“We are very much on track,” Trump stated in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing that efforts to stabilize the situation were moving forward.
To further the diplomatic discussions, Trump has tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz with providing more details on the negotiations.
Both officials are set to travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, where they will participate in ongoing peace talks aimed at de-escalating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
A Tense History: Trump and Zelensky’s Oval Office Confrontation
This phone call marks a significant development in the relationship between Trump and Zelensky, who previously clashed in a heated Oval Office meeting at the end of February.
During that encounter, Trump reportedly expressed frustration, accusing Zelensky of not showing enough gratitude for the extensive U.S. military aid provided to Kyiv. Their disagreement escalated into a shouting match, further straining diplomatic ties.
Prior to speaking with Zelensky, Trump engaged in a lengthy discussion with Putin on Tuesday, during which the two leaders took initial steps toward resolving the war. The key outcome of their conversation was an agreement on an “energy and infrastructure ceasefire,” which will remain in effect for 30 days.
As part of the agreement, negotiations for a permanent peace settlement are set to begin immediately in the Middle East. However, Putin has made it clear that Russia has specific conditions that must be met before hostilities can fully cease.
