Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited U.S. President Donald Trump to Moscow for discussions on ending the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced Wednesday.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the two leaders spoke about a range of issues, including Ukraine, bilateral relations, the Middle East, and a recent prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow. The discussion marks a significant development in diplomatic efforts to address the ongoing conflict.
“The Russian president invited the U.S. president to visit Moscow and expressed his readiness to receive American officials in Russia for discussions on mutual interests, including, of course, the topic of a Ukrainian settlement,” Peskov stated. He also confirmed that Putin and Trump agreed to maintain direct communication and plan a face-to-face meeting in the future.
Putin’s last direct engagement with a sitting U.S. president occurred in February 2022, when he spoke with Joe Biden shortly before launching the military operation in Ukraine. Trump’s willingness to meet Putin aligns with his repeated statements that he could negotiate an end to the war, though no details on the timing or location of a summit have been disclosed.
Trump, the author of *Trump: The Art of the Deal*, has consistently advocated for diplomacy in resolving the Ukraine crisis, suggesting that direct engagement with Putin could be a step toward de-escalation.
