Trump reaffirms Putin conversation, dodges key details on Ukraine peace deal

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Feb. 9, Trump insisted that a conversation with the Russian president had taken place, which, according to Reuters, “will mark the first officially acknowledged discussion between the two leaders since early 2022.”

The publication noted the lack of tangible evidence that Trump’s talks have had any real impact on the war.

When pressed on whether the conversation happened after his official inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, or earlier, Trump dodged the question: “I had the conversation. Let’s just say I had it… And I expect many more conversations. We have to end this war.”

Despite these claims, Trump provided no details on what actions — if any — he has taken to push for an end to the conflict, nor did he clarify what role the U.S. might play in peace negotiations.

“If we are talking, I don’t want to disclose the conversations,” he said.

“I believe we are making progress. We must stop this war.”

Meanwhile, the war continues, with no signs of de-escalation.

Trump's vague remarks raise questions about whether he has any concrete plan or if this is just another attempt to appear as a ‘deal-maker’ without delivering real results.

Trump’s conversation with Putin

On Feb. 7, The New York Post reported that Trump told a reporter aboard Air Force One that he had already spoken with Putin by phone. At the time, no major U.S. news outlets had reported this conversation.

The New York Post claimed that Trump tried to negotiate an end to the war and stated that Putin "cares about the deaths on the battlefield" and "wants people to stop dying." Trump also reiterated his stance that the war, now in its third year, "would never have happened" if he had been president in 2022.

Additionally, Trump reportedly suggested that he always had a good relationship with Putin.

In response to the report, Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said that he was unaware of this call but admitted that he "may not always be informed" about all contacts.

Potential deals on Ukraine

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, though he was yet to present a concrete plan.

According to The New York Post, Trump allegedly proposed a $500 million deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals and gas in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv.

Additionally, Trump suggested he might meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy next week to discuss a potential peace agreement.

The White House has neither confirmed nor denied the reports of a Trump-Putin call. However, Western media outlets noted that this may be the first officially acknowledged conversation between the U.S. and Russian presidents since 2022.