In his first phone call as President-elect, Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning him (Putin) not to escalate the war in Ukraine.
According to a report by Washington post, quoting sources familiar with the matter who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic, Trump made the call from his resort in Florida, reminding Putin of Washington’s significant military presence in Europe.
Trump’s relationship with Putin has been under scrutiny, particularly given the ongoing investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Trump has previously praised Putin, calling him “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine, and has also commended Russia’s military record in historical conflicts.
The two leaders recently discussed achieving peace in Europe, with Trump expressing interest in follow-up conversations to resolve the Ukraine conflict soon.
This aligns with Trump’s presidential campaign promise to promptly end the war in Ukraine, although he hasn’t provided specific details on how he plans to accomplish this.
Notably, Trump has privately indicated support for a deal allowing Russia to maintain control over some captured territories, and he briefly mentioned the land issue during the call, according to people familiar with the matter.
Ukraine’s government was informed about the Putin call and didn’t object to it. Ukrainian officials were already aware that Trump planned to engage with Putin to find a diplomatic solution for Ukraine.
However, Trump’s initial calls with world leaders are deviating from standard procedure, as they’re not being conducted with the support of the State Department and U.S. government interpreters.
This unconventional approach might be linked to Trump’s distrust of career government officials, stemming from leaked transcripts of presidential calls during his first term. As a result, world leaders are directly contacting Trump, bypassing traditional channels.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, in an email, stated, “President Trump won a historic election decisively and leaders from around the world know America will return to prominence on the world stage. That is why leaders have begun the process of developing stronger relationships with the 45th and 47th President because he represents global peace and stability.”
