“President-elect Donald Trump has directed his aides to arrange a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the days after he’s sworn in, with one goal of the conversation to discuss an in-person meeting in the coming months to try to end the war in Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter,” CNN reported one day before Trump’s inauguration.
CNN continued, “Officials on Trump’s national security team began working on a call with Putin several weeks ago.”
Russian President Putin has accepted Trump’s offer for direct discussion , stating at a July 20 Russian Security Council meeting, that “Concerning the resolution of the [Ukrainian] situation itself, I would like to reiterate that its objective should not be a temporary ceasefire or a pause to regroup forces and rearm for the eventual continuation of the conflict, but rather a lasting peace founded on respect for the legitimate interests of all individuals and peoples residing in this region.”
