US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time after winning the US polls last week. In a telephonic conversation, Trump advised Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine and also reminded him of “Washington's strong military presence in Europe,” The Washington Post reported Sunday.
This development comes after Russian President Putin expressed his readiness to engage in talks and underlined the need to restore Russia-US ties and work towards ending the war in Ukraine. So far, neither the US nor Russia has officially confirmed the conversation between the two leaders.
The Russia-Ukraine war and instability in Europe remained at the centre of discussion between the two leaders. In his conversation, Donald Trump expressed his interest in follow-up conversations to discuss a solution for its war in Ukraine.
"The two men discussed the goal of peace on the European continent, and Trump expressed an interest in follow-up conversations to discuss 'the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon,” The Washington Post reported, quoting a person familiar with the development.
Trump made the call from his resort in Florida, where he even advised Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine. Trump had made the suggestion mainly because he doesn't want to take over as US President with a fresh crisis in the Ukraine.
“One former U.S official who was familiar with the Putin call said that Trump likely does not want to enter office with a fresh crisis in Ukraine prompted by Russian escalation, “giving him the incentive to want to keep the war from worsening,” the daily said.
Donald Trump is scheduled to take oath as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025. Ukraine has been informed about the Trump-Putin call.
“During the call, which Trump took from his resort in Florida, he advised the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington’s sizable military presence in Europe, said a person familiar with the call, who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter,” The Washington Post reported.
Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, abstained from making any comment in response to a query sent by AFP on the matter. “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders,” AFP quoted Cheung.
