A single phone call won’t instantly end the war in Ukraine. While talks may now begin, the timeline and outcome remain uncertain.

However, by simply engaging in this conversation, President Vladimir Putin has already secured a diplomatic win.

Just three years ago, he was politically isolated. His full-scale invasion of Ukraine made him a global pariah.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned Russia’s "unlawful use of force against Ukraine," leading to thousands of international sanctions. In 2023, the International Criminal Court even issued an arrest warrant for him.

At the time, U.S. President Joe Biden made his stance clear, calling Putin a "murderous dictator" and a "pure thug."

Since Russia's large-scale invasion in February 2022, direct communication between Putin and Biden had ceased—until now.

A change of president has brought a change of style, a change of language – and a totally different US approach to Russia.

Trump says he wants to "work together, very closely" with Putin to end the war in Ukraine. He hopes they will be "visiting each other's nations".

Clearly, so does Vladimir Putin, who invited Trump to Moscow.

Trump says negotiations on Ukraine war to begin 'immediately' after call with Putin
If that visit goes ahead, it will signify a major shift in US-Russian relations. An American president has not visited Russia for more than a decade.

In many ways Putin has already got what he wants - the chance to negotiate directly with the United States on Ukraine, possibly over the heads of Kyiv and Europe - as well as the opportunity to put himself at the top table of international politics.

It remains unclear, though, how far Putin will be willing to compromise.

Russian officials claim Moscow is ready for talks but always refer back to Putin's so-called peace proposal of June 2024, which reads more like an ultimatum.

Under that plan Russia would get to keep all the Ukrainian territory it has seized, plus some more land still under Ukrainian control.

On top of that, Ukraine would not be allowed to join Nato and western sanctions against Russia would be scrapped.

As one Russian newspaper put it earlier this week: "Russia is ready for talks. But on its terms.

"If you drop the diplomatic language, essentially that is called an ultimatum."

Source: BBC

BDST: 1324 HRS, FEB 13, 2025
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