U.S. President-elect Donald Trump recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, advising him not to escalate the war in Ukraine, according to a source familiar with the conversation. This comes as President Joe Biden plans to urge Trump to continue supporting Kyiv.
The source revealed that Trump and Putin had spoken in recent days. Additionally, Trump held a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday. Trump has previously criticized the extensive U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine, promising to end the conflict swiftly, though he has not provided details on how.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry stated it was not notified in advance about the Trump-Putin call and thus could neither endorse nor object to it. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, declined to comment on the private call, which was initially reported by The Washington Post. The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Republican Trump will assume office on January 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. The White House announced that Biden has invited Trump to visit the Oval Office on Wednesday.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated on Sunday that Biden’s primary message to Trump will focus on ensuring a smooth transfer of power. Additionally, Biden will discuss pressing global issues, including developments in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
“Over the next 70 days, President Biden will emphasize to Congress and the incoming administration that abandoning Ukraine would lead to greater instability in Europe,” Sullivan said on CBS News’ Face the Nation.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a significant drone attack on Moscow on Sunday, involving at least 34 drones—the largest strike on the Russian capital since the war began.
When asked whether Biden would seek congressional approval for more Ukraine funding, Sullivan refrained from offering specifics. “I’m not here to present a legislative proposal. However, President Biden will argue that continued support for Ukraine is necessary beyond the end of his term,” Sullivan explained.
