Kremlin denies Putin-Trump phone call on Ukraine
Moscow: The Kremlin on Monday refuted a report from an American media outlet claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States president-elect Donald Trump had discussed the Ukraine conflict over the phone last week.
The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Trump had spoken with Putin by phone on Thursday, urging him to avoid escalating the conflict. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report, calling it "completely false information" and denying that any such call had taken place.
The Washington Post reported that Trump made the call from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, just days after securing an election victory over Democratic contender Kamala Harris. When approached for comment, Trump's communications director Steven Cheung did not confirm the call, telling AFP that, "we do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders."
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the conversation, the Post claimed that Trump reminded Putin of the significant U.S. military presence in Europe and expressed an interest in further discussions to "resolve Ukraine's war soon."
Russia has cautiously welcomed Trump’s return to power, with Peskov noting on Sunday: "The signals are positive... At least he's talking about peace, and not about confrontation."
Throughout his campaign, Trump pledged to end the Ukraine war swiftly, even before officially taking office, but did not provide specifics on his strategy. He and his supporters have criticized U.S. financial support for Ukraine, suggesting that it benefits a "pro-war nexus" involving defense contractors and foreign policy hardliners.
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., highlighted the issue by sharing a video clip on Instagram featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the caption, "POV (point of view): You're 38 days from losing your allowance."
Analysts predict that any rapid resolution to the Ukraine conflict could involve Kyiv relinquishing territory seized by Russia in the south and east. Bryan Lanza, a former Trump adviser, indicated in a BBC interview that Ukraine should forgo its aspirations of reclaiming Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Despite facing manpower challenges and concerns about ongoing U.S. support, Kyiv remains steadfast against ceding territory. European allies, such as Britain and France, share apprehensions about Trump making unilateral decisions.
Zelensky has maintained that surrendering land or acceding to Russian demands would embolden Putin and invite further aggression, a position supported by many of Ukraine’s European allies.
The Washington Post reported that Trump "briefly raised the issue of land" during the alleged call with Putin, though further details were not provided.
Amid ongoing conflict, both Ukraine and Russia have made moves potentially aimed at gaining leverage for future negotiations. Over the weekend, Ukraine experienced its largest drone assault to date, with Russia launching 145 drones overnight, while Moscow claimed it intercepted 34 Ukrainian drones targeting its territory.