In a significant development, US President-elect Donald Trump has held his first telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin since winning the US Presidential election. The call, which took place shortly after Putin congratulated Trump and expressed a desire to repair US-Russia relations, saw Trump urging Putin to avoid escalating the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the US President-elect, speaking from his resort in Florida, emphasized Washington’s substantial military presence in Europe as a reminder to Putin of the potential consequences of further actions in Ukraine.
The call comes amidst a complex geopolitical landscape, with the conflict in Ukraine casting a long shadow over US-Russia relations. A former US official, privy to details of the call, indicated that Trump’s motivation for urging de-escalation stems from a desire to avoid inheriting a fresh crisis in Ukraine upon assuming office.
The Ukrainian government has been informed of the Trump-Putin call. It remains unclear what specific details were discussed during the conversation or the extent to which Putin heeded Trump’s advice.
While Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, declined to comment on the private nature of the call, he emphasized the significance of Trump’s victory and the renewed interest in strengthening global relationships with the incoming US President. Cheung asserted that world leaders recognize America’s return to prominence on the world stage under Trump’s leadership, attributing this to Trump’s representation of global peace and stability.
This initial communication between the two leaders carries weighty implications for the future of US-Russia relations, the conflict in Ukraine, and global stability. The content and outcomes of this call, while shrouded in secrecy, will likely have far-reaching consequences for the international order.
