Trump speaks with Putin about war in Ukraine – WP

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Stock photo: Getty Images

The Washington Post has reported that US President-elect Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on 10 November.

Source: The Washington Post, citing multiple informed sources

Details: The newspaper’s sources revealed that Trump and Putin discussed the war in Ukraine. This was their first phone call since Trump’s election victory.

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One source shared that during the call, which Trump made from his resort in Florida, he advised the Russian leader against escalating the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington’s significant military presence in Europe.

Several sources said that Trump and Putin discussed the need for peace on the European continent, with Trump expressing an interest in further talks to discuss a “swift resolution to the war in Ukraine”.

The newspaper noted, citing two sources, that the Ukrainian government was reportedly informed about the call with Putin and had no objections to it taking place. As reported, Ukrainian officials have long understood that Trump would engage with Putin regarding a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine.

The report said Trump’s initial calls with world leaders are being conducted without the support of the State Department or US government interpreters. Trump’s transition team has yet to sign an agreement with the department, which is a standard procedure for presidential transitions.

The Washington Post also reported, citing a source, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is said to be considering candidates to replace Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, after Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called for her dismissal following a visit Zelenskyy made to an ammunition factory in Pennsylvania in September.

Background: 

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Donald Trump on Wednesday, 9 November US time (early Thursday morning in Ukraine).
• On 10 November, Trump mentioned that he had not yet spoken with Putin following the announcement of his election victory but indicated that such a conversation might take place.

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