Russia Plays Coy on ‘Delicate’ Trump-Putin Discussions
February 10, 2025
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Russia neither confirmed nor denied any details about the “delicate” discussions between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Russian news outlet RBC.
This follows Trump’s update on his phone conversation with Putin that he shared with The New York Post on February 7 in which he said they discussed bringing an end to the war with Ukraine.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian government for comment via email outside of business hours.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. Alexei Nikolsky/Associated Press
Why It Matters
While Trump has pushed for a quick end to the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a hasty resolution would be a “loss for Ukraine,” stating that the end of the war cannot come at the cost of their independence.
Both Russia and Ukraine continue so suffer heavy casualties in the conflict started by Putin in February 2022. Moscow has lost more than 850,000 men, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, and Zelensky previously said that Kyiv has had 43,000 of its soldiers die on the battlefield with more than 370,000 have been wounded. However, exact figures are not verified as both Ukraine and Russia are thought to downplay their losses.
What To Know
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not share any information on Putin’s phone call with Trump.
He said only that “as the administration in Washington unfolds its work, many different communications arise, and these communications are conducted through different channels, and, of course, against the background of the multiplicity of these communications, I personally may not know something, be unaware of something. Therefore, in this case, I can neither confirm nor deny it.”
In a subsequent press briefing, Peskov then said: “I made a statement on this matter yesterday, and I can’t tell you anything else. I can neither confirm nor deny it.”
Speaking about the phone call between the two leaders, U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz said that there are currently “a lot of delicate conversations.”
Trump told The New York Post about his discussion of ending the war with Ukraine with Putin that the Russian leader “wants to see people stop dying.”
The American president added, “All those dead people. Young, young, beautiful people. They’re like your kids, 2 million of them—and for no reason.”
When asked how often he speaks with the Russian president, Trump declined to answer but added that Putin is open to seeing an end to the conflict. He told the Post that he has a plan to end the Moscow-Kyiv war but did not specify the details, only noting that he hopes it will end quickly.
Trump also said that he has always had a good relationship with Putin and that the nearly three-year war would not have happened if he were president.
The Kremlin has previously remained tight-lipped about communications with Washington, as they previously called reports of a phone call with Trump soon after his reelection in November 2024 “pure fiction.”
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Carl Bildt, the co-chair of European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote: “This is slightly strange since Putin is highly likely to be desperate for a one-to-one meeting with Trump to see if he can get a deal over [Ukraine] that he can call victory.”
Discussing negotiations between Russia and the U.S., according to the Russian news outlet RIA Novosti, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said: “We are ready for dialogue, which has been said repeatedly, including being ready to discuss a settlement in Ukraine, but only on an equal, mutually acceptable basis.”
He added that there is “some interaction between the foreign policy departments” but at the same time, there are “no agreed schedules for communication between Vladimir Putin and Trump today,” although plans may become clear in the future.
What Happens Next
During a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on February 7, Trump said that he may meet with Zelensky in Washington next week, according to The Kyiv Independent.
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