I have discussed Russia-Ukraine war with Putin & the war will soon end —-Trump Boasts

Mr. Trump characterized a lengthy phone call with Mr. Putin on Wednesday as the start of negotiations, and the Kremlin said a meeting between the two leaders could be organized “fairly quickly.” But neither side mentioned any role for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, adding to concerns that the Trump administration would soften U.S. support for Kyiv and push it to make concessions to Russia that Ukrainian officials have previously dismissed as unacceptable.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who on Wednesday said that Mr. Trump did not support Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as part of a peace plan, told reporters before a meeting of allied defense ministers on Thursday that the call with the Russian leader was “no betrayal” of Kyiv. Mr. Zelensky, for his part, sought to sound optimistic, saying overnight that he had spoken with Mr. Trump and believed “that America’s strength is sufficient to pressure Russia and Putin into peace, together with us, together with all our partners.”

At the NATO meeting in Brussels, Ukraine’s European allies insisted that Kyiv had their support and would need a seat at the table in any potential talks.

“It is crucial that Ukraine is closely involved in all talks on its future,” Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general, said ahead of the meeting. John Healey, Britain’s defense secretary, said: “There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine, and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.”