On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation during which they agreed to begin discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This event represents a pivotal moment in US-Russia relations, which have been tense since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump described the call as "lengthy and highly productive."

He noted that the two leaders addressed not only the situation in Ukraine but also issues related to the Middle East and advancements in artificial intelligence.

Trump mentioned their intention to "stop the millions of deaths occurring in the War with Russia/Ukraine," although the figure he cited remains unverified.

He also stated that both leaders agreed to visit each other's nations to further confront these entrenched tensions.

The Kremlin reported that the call lasted about one and a half hours and underscored the need for cooperation.

Trump expressed his intention to reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to update him on the discussions with Putin, indicating a significant shift in diplomatic relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.

President Zelensky confirmed that he had a "meaningful" conversation with Trump regarding potential paths to peace during their call, mentioning that Trump shared insights from his dialogue with Putin.

Trump noted that both Zelensky and Putin showed a willingness to pursue peace.

This phone call took place shortly after a prisoner exchange involving the US and Russia, wherein US citizen Marc Fogel was released by Moscow in return for Russian national Alexander Vinnik.

Additionally, the Trump administration announced the release of another American citizen detained in Belarus.

In his comments on Truth Social, Trump praised Putin for exercising common sense in negotiations, alluding to his previous campaign slogan.

Trump's longstanding admiration for the Russian leader was acknowledged, along with investigations into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, which led to several convictions but found no evidence of direct collusion.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, conveyed that Putin agreed with Trump on the possibility of achieving a lasting settlement through negotiations.

Peskov stressed that Putin called for an immediate halt to hostilities within this context.

President Zelensky continues to tread carefully in balancing US support with Ukraine's demands in peace negotiations.

Zelensky also hinted at the possibility of swapping occupied territories, a suggestion that was quickly rebutted by Russian officials following missile and drone attacks on Kyiv.

Looking forward, Zelensky is set to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, where he hopes to finalize an economic agreement with the US.

Meanwhile, US officials have acknowledged the difficulties in restoring Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders and have particularly highlighted the complexities surrounding NATO membership for Kyiv.

This latest diplomatic initiative by Trump has sparked concerns among European leaders.

Foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Spain stated that any sustainable peace solution for Ukraine must involve the participation of Kyiv and its European allies.