On Monday, the Kremlin rejected reports that President-elect Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation after the U.S. presidential election.
This denial followed coverage from The Washington Post and Reuters, which claimed that Trump and Putin spoke on Thursday. According to the reports, Trump allegedly urged Putin not to escalate the situation in Ukraine and reminded him of the substantial U.S. military presence in Europe.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, called the reports “pure fiction,” emphasizing that there had been no such conversation. This statement was reported by TASS, a state-owned Russian media outlet. Trump’s team has yet to comment on the matter.
Trump aims to broker peace in Ukraine, despite Kremlin’s denial of recent communication
Earlier on Thursday, Putin publicly congratulated Trump on his electoral victory while speaking at a security conference in Russia, which coincided with the reports of the alleged phone call.
Putin expressed his readiness to engage in discussions with the president-elect, while Trump has expressed his intention to end the Russia-Ukraine war before his inauguration, aiming to use his relationships with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to broker a peace deal.
Following Trump’s win over Vice President Harris, he had a conversation with Zelensky, who described the exchange as “good” and “productive,” though he noted that the future course of U.S. action remained uncertain. Zelensky expressed hope that America would grow stronger under Trump’s leadership.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, escalating a conflict that started in 2014 when Russian forces took control of Crimea and invaded the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
The Biden administration, alongside European and Asian allies, has framed Russia’s actions as a crucial battle for the survival of the liberal world order, insisting that Russia cannot be rewarded for aggression.
However, some in Ukraine and the U.S. criticize Biden for limiting military aid and restricting the use of American weapons in attacks on Russian territory. These critics are now calling on Trump to ramp up military support for Ukraine, opposing the policies of the Democratic administration.
Despite this, Trump has shown little enthusiasm for increasing aid to Ukraine. During a debate with Vice President Harris in September, he was unable to state unequivocally that he supported a Ukrainian victory in the conflict.
Many of Trump’s key advisors and congressional allies argue that the U.S. should reduce or even end military and financial assistance to Ukraine, advocating for a focus on domestic issues, including securing the southern border.
