Donald Trump Donald Trump addressed his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding talks to end the war in Ukraine, claiming that his Russian counterpart wants a deal to be reached. The U.S. president described their conversation as “extraordinary” and, when asked what is preventing peace negotiations from moving forward, gave a particularly striking answer: “The obstacle is two people who hate each other.”
Trump: “He wants to make a deal”
During his remarks to reporters, Donald Trump was first asked about his communication with Vladimir Putin, specifically: “Can you tell us about your conversation with President Putin?” The American president responded that he had “an extraordinary conversation” and went on to address what he claimed are the Russian president’s intentions regarding the war in Ukraine. “He wants to make a deal, and if Zelensky wants to make a deal, that would be a very beautiful thing,” Trump said, placing both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on equal footing when it comes to reaching an agreement.
Trump: “The obstacle is two people who hate each other”
He was then asked what is ultimately preventing negotiations from progressing toward a peace agreement. When asked “what is the obstacle,” Trump replied without elaborating further: “The obstacle is two people who hate each other.”
This statement came following a one-hour phone call between the U.S. president and Vladimir Putin. The conversation took place after American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited over the weekend.
Trump urges Putin to end the war
During the one-hour phone call, the U.S. president urged Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine in order to unlock “tremendous” trade opportunities between the United States and Russia. The call was also referenced by Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, who told reporters: “Donald Trump clearly expressed the view that the earliest possible end to the conflict would be desirable.” Trump’s latest remarks bring peace efforts back into the spotlight, with the president asserting that Putin wants a deal while attributing the main obstacle to the personal rivalry between the two leaders.
