US President Donald Trump said he held a “very productive” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that both sides agreed to convene high level advisers meet next week, followed by a leaders’ meeting in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ending what he called the “inglorious” war between Russia and Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Putin “congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East.”
In addition, Trump added, “I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia and Ukraine.”
Furthermore, Trump said the US delegation’s initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with venue “to be determined.”
Additionally, he also said he will brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office today about the call “and much more.”
The two leaders also discussed US-Russia trade after the war, Trump said. Moreover Putin “thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue.”
Trump concluded, “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation.”
Previously, Trump and Putin held a summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting reportedly ended without any significant breakthroughs on ending the conflict.
Timeline of Ukrainian war since 2014
| Year | Breakthrough / Turning Point | What happened | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Crimea annexation | Russia seizes Crimea after a disputed referendum. | Redrew borders and set the stage for long conflict. |
| 2015 | Minsk II | Ceasefire/political roadmap agreed. | Reduced fighting at times but didn’t end the war. |
| 2022 (Feb) | Full scale invasion | Russia attacks from north, east, south. | Largest European land war since WWII. |
| 2022 (Mar–Apr) | Defense of Kyiv | Russia retreats from northern front. | Saved the capital. |
| 2023 (Sept) | Strikes on Sevastopol/Crimea | Missiles/drone hits damage ships & HQ. | Degraded Black Sea Fleet. |
| 2024 (Feb) | Fall of Avdiivka | Russia captures a key fortress town. | Significant Russian tactical gain in Donbas. |
Escalation of Ukrainian war in 2025
| Date | Breakthrough / Turning Point | What happened | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (Oct) | Energy war escalates | Massive Russian barrages hit Ukrainian gas facilities. | Undermines winter resilience. |
| 2025 (Oct) | Possible Tomahawks to Ukraine | US debates supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles. | Would be a major range/strike escalation if approved. |
