"Trump & Putin’s ‘Productive’ Call: A New Path to Peace? ☎️🕊️"

President Trump has initiated discussions with President Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine, describing their recent phone call as "highly productive." The dialogue has sparked controversy, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth opposing Ukraine's NATO membership and ruling out the use of U.S. troops for peacekeeping. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko claimed sanctions against him were politically motivated, while current President Zelensky emphasized national unity and readiness for peace talks. On February 12, 2025, President Donald Trump held a "lengthy and highly productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they agreed to initiate negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. President Trump emphasized the urgency of halting the war to prevent further loss of life. Following his conversation with President Putin, President Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Zelenskyy described the discussion as "meaningful," highlighting their shared commitment to achieving peace and exploring technological and economic partnerships. In a subsequent statement, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth noted that a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is "an unrealistic objective" in the forthcoming peace settlement. He added that any attempt to regain all territory "will only prolong the war and cause more suffering." Secretary Hegseth also mentioned that President Trump does not support NATO membership for Ukraine as part of the peace agreement and expects European nations to provide increased financial and military assistance to Ukraine. The United States plans to focus on its own security and address challenges posed by China, with no deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine anticipated. These developments have raised concerns among Kyiv and European allies, who fear that the U.S. might concede significant demands to Russia rapidly. European officials have expressed frustration at being excluded from the negotiations and emphasized the importance of their involvement in achieving a just and lasting peace.