Update: NBC News, citing a White House official, reported at around 12:30 p.m. Washington time that the call between Putin and Trump was over and had lasted more than an hour and a half. A Russian source told CNN that the conversation went “very well.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are holding a phone conversation, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino announced.
“President Trump is currently in the Oval Office speaking with President Vladimir Putin of Russia since 10:00amEDT,” Scavino wrote on X. “The call is going well, and still in progress.”
This is the second official phone call between the U.S. and Russian presidents since Trump began his second term on January 20. During the first, on February 12, Trump and Putin agreed to start talks on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Trump has said he and Putin would talk “about land” and “about power plants,” adding that “many elements” of a peace agreement on Ukraine had already been settled. The Kremlin has not disclosed the topics of discussion, but the talks are expected to focus on a U.S. proposal for a 30-day cease-fire. Kyiv has already expressed support for the plan. Putin has said he is open to a temporary truce but that “there are nuances” requiring further discussion.
According to Bloomberg, during a March 13 meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin said one condition for halting hostilities would be suspending all arms deliveries to Ukraine.
