In a significant diplomatic development preceding crucial peace talks, former U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a substantive telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussion, lasting approximately thirty minutes according to Ukrainian presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn, focused on coordinating strategies for upcoming multilateral negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
President Zelensky publicly acknowledged the exchange via social media, expressing gratitude for Trump’s ‘active involvement’ in peace efforts and recognizing contributions from Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who participated in the call. The dialogue specifically addressed agenda items for the bilateral meeting between Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov and Trump’s representatives scheduled for Geneva, alongside preparations for comprehensive trilateral negotiations with Russia anticipated in early March.
The Geneva discussions represent the latest iteration of Trump-mediated diplomacy that has thus far yielded limited progress in ending Europe’s most devastating military confrontation since World War II. The conflict, ignited by Russia’s full-scale invasion four years prior, has resulted in catastrophic human casualties and widespread territorial destruction across eastern and southern Ukraine.
Central to the diplomatic impasse remains the disputed status of Donbas, with Russia demanding complete control over Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region under threat of military escalation. Ukraine maintains its refusal to concede territorial sovereignty while insisting on robust international security guarantees to prevent future aggression. Both leaders expressed support for elevating negotiations to the head-of-state level, with Zelensky reiterating that direct engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin remains essential for resolving the conflict’s most complex issues.