On the evening of 16 October, the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, had a telephone conversation. The leaders last spoke almost two months ago. Since then, many events have occurred, and numerous strong statements have entered public discourse. The main topic in recent weeks has been the potential supplies of U.S. Tomahawks to Kiev, which the Kremlin viewed as a threat to Russian-American relations. Trump was in no hurry to make a decision regarding the Tomahawks. Clarity on this issue was expected on Friday when the U.S. leader was scheduled to meet with Vladimir Zelensky. However, Moscow appears to have preempted this move.
So, here's what we need to know about the talks. First, the conversation was initiated by the Russian side. Journalists have calculated that this is the eighth telephone conversation between the two leaders since the beginning of the year. This time, it lasted nearly 2.5 hours. Both the Kremlin and the White House noted that the discussion was frank, productive, and substantive.
Russian president’s aide Yuri Ushakov reported that Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his success in normalizing the situation in the Gaza sector. Trump made a post on the Truth Social that “the success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the war with Russia/Ukraine.”
The telephone conversation placed particular emphasis on issues related to the Ukrainian crisis. Putin stated that Russian troops maintain the strategic initiative across the entire front line. At the same time, he emphasized Moscow's interest in achieving a peaceful political-diplomatic solution.
For his part, Trump insisted on the necessity of establishing peace as quickly as possible. The White House stated that the U.S. president remains fully committed to facilitating a settlement in Ukraine.
So, here's what we need to know about the talks. First, the conversation was initiated by the Russian side. Journalists have calculated that this is the eighth telephone conversation between the two leaders since the beginning of the year. This time, it lasted nearly 2.5 hours. Both the Kremlin and the White House noted that the discussion was frank, productive, and substantive.
Russian president’s aide Yuri Ushakov reported that Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his success in normalizing the situation in the Gaza sector. Trump made a post on the Truth Social that “the success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the war with Russia/Ukraine.”
The telephone conversation placed particular emphasis on issues related to the Ukrainian crisis. Putin stated that Russian troops maintain the strategic initiative across the entire front line. At the same time, he emphasized Moscow's interest in achieving a peaceful political-diplomatic solution.
For his part, Trump insisted on the necessity of establishing peace as quickly as possible. The White House stated that the U.S. president remains fully committed to facilitating a settlement in Ukraine.
“The notion that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict was the most intractable problem in the U.S. President's entire peacemaking agenda was a constant, underlying theme in his remarks throughout the discussion. And, of course, he mentioned in this context his successes in settling eight other regional conflicts,” Yuri Ushakov said.
The topic of Tomahawks was also addressed. Vladimir Putin made it clear that the American missiles would not change the situation on the battlefield but would damage U.S.-Russia relations. At the same time, both parties acknowledged the mutual goodwill between their peoples, while also noting that the current state of bilateral relations is paradoxical.
The presidents also discussed prospects for economic cooperation between the two countries. “Notably, a central thesis of the U.S. president's was that a resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would create what he underscored as immense prospects for expanding U.S.-Russia economic ties,” Yury Ushakov said.
We devoted significant attention to issues of trade between Russia and the USA after the end of the war with Ukraine, Trump wrote.
He also reported that he would meet with Vladimir Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. “We will discuss my conversation with President Putin and much more. I believe significant progress was made during today's phone call,” the U.S. President added.
Later, speaking to the press, Donald Trump reiterated that the call with Vladimir Putin had been so productive that it could lead to peace. He also noted that the Tomahawks are needed by the USA itself, making it clear that the missiles would remain in the country. “We need them. I mean, we can’t deplete for our country,” the U.S. leader said.
The main outcome of the negotiations is the decision to hold an in-person meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Budapest. It will be preceded by a meeting of high-level advisors from the two presidents, which will take place next week. Incidentally, Hungary has already begun preparations for the summit. According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the presidents' meeting could take place in two weeks.
The conversation between Putin and Trump allows for several conclusions. Firstly, the United States retains the political will to pursue peace and a clear interest in rapprochement with Russia. The U.S. president views this as a window of opportunity for the USA in both political and economic terms.
It is also worth noting that it was Russia that initiated the conversation with Trump, in a preemptive move. This initiative, apparently, has precisely undermined the plans nurtured by Kiev and its allies in recent months.
Another important conclusion is that Budapest has been chosen as the venue for the Putin-Trump summit. This is symbolic not only for Hungary but for the whole of Europe. As a member of NATO and the EU, Hungary has consistently and resolutely defended its position regarding the Ukrainian conflict, regarding engagement with Russia and Belarus, and primarily regarding its own state and people, for whom the destructive policies of the West are unacceptable and dangerous. No matter how much criticism was directed at the Hungarian authorities, no matter how hard the European elites tried to isolate and silence Budapest, all these efforts not only came to nothing but also ended up benefiting the Orbán government.
The summit in Budapest will cement Hungary’s status as a country that stood by its convictions and was rewarded. What better example could there be for other EU states?
Vita Khanatayeva,
BelTA
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