President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call Wednesday to initiate negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, pledging to work “very closely” toward de-escalation.
Diplomatic Talks Following Prisoner Swap
Trump described the discussion as a step toward cooperation between the two nations, emphasizing the need to halt the ongoing conflict. “We each talked about the strengths of our respective nations and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together,” Trump stated in a social media post. “But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Russia/Ukraine.”
The former president said both sides agreed to have their teams begin negotiations immediately and would inform Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about their conversation. However, White House officials declined to clarify whether Ukraine would be involved in the talks between the U.S. and Russia.
Fogel-Vinnik Prisoner Exchange
The diplomatic development followed a prisoner swap in which Russia released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been detained for more than three years on drug charges. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to free Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian cybercriminal.
Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the United States on cryptocurrency fraud charges and later extradited. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was in custody in California awaiting transport to Russia.
The Kremlin confirmed the exchange but withheld details about Vinnik’s release until his arrival in Russia.
White House Response and Future Relations
Trump welcomed Fogel to the White House upon his return, marking what the administration described as a “diplomatic thaw” that could facilitate further peace discussions. Fogel, an American history teacher deemed “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government, was arrested in August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in a Russian prison.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff escorted Fogel from Russia to Washington, where he reunited with his family. Trump declined to confirm whether he discussed Fogel’s case directly with Putin or what concessions were made to secure his release.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump suggested that the prisoner swap could lay the groundwork for a broader peace initiative. “We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually,” he said. “I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war.”
The Kremlin acknowledged the exchange as a potential confidence-building measure but remained cautious about its impact on future negotiations.
