Hegseth Says Return to Ukraine s Pre-2014 War Borders Is An Unrealistic Objective – WSJ

President Trump said he and Russia s Vladimir Putin on Wednesday had agreed to open immediate talks to end the war in Ukraine in a lengthy and highly productive phone call between the two leaders.

I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon! Trump wrote on Truth Social, the first official acknowledgment that the two leaders have talked since Trump was elected. Trump said he and Putin agreed to visit each other s country.

The conversation Wednesday follows a prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow that Trump yesterday said could be a harbinger for better relations between the U.S. and Russia.

We want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine, Trump wrote. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, COMMON SENSE.

Any effort to end the war could still face stiff headwinds, including from Putin, who has shown little inclination so far to end a war he feels he is winning even though gains by Russian forces are slow and with heavy losses. For Ukraine, a cease-fire along the current front lines would also be a painful step, ceding control for the foreseeable future of 20% of the country.

via www.wsj.com