Trump has first post-election call with Putin, warns against ramping up in Ukraine: report
President-elect Donald Trump held his first post-election call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week and warned him against ramping up in Ukraine, a new report says.The incoming president took note of US military power in Europe while seeking to discourage the Kremlin dictator from intensifying Russia’s war in Ukraine during the Thursday chat, sources told the Washington Post.Trump also expressed interest in a follow-up talk, the outlet said.The day before, on Wednesday, Trump, 78, spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the phone as well, though details of their conversation were not known other than Trump assuring Zelensky he had his support.
Tech guru Elon Musk was on that call.Throughout Trump’s 2024 bid for the White House, he crowed that he could end the brutal war “within 24 hours,” though he was short on specifics as to how.Vice President-elect JD Vance had publicly laid out a slightly more specific plan that would feature a demilitarized zone between the two warring nations and entail a pledge that Ukraine wouldn’t join NATO.
Zelensky admonished Vance as “radical” and ripped that plan.The Ukrainian president has demanded a return to his country’s 1991 borders, which would mean control of Crimea and the Donbas region.
Both Putin and Zelensky praised Trump after his victory against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.“He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct way, courageously, like a real man,” Putin said last week, according to a translation.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election.“What was said about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to bring about the end of the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, this deserves attention at least,” Putin said.Zelensky had similarly praised Trump after his win.“We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership.
We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the ...