Wed Feb 12 17:54:22 UTC 2025: **Trump and Putin Agree to Begin Negotiations to End Ukraine War Following Prisoner Swap**
**Moscow, February 12, 2025** – Following a prisoner exchange that saw the release of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel from Russian detention, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone and agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The two leaders, in a call following the prisoner swap, stated they would work closely together to resolve the conflict. President Trump announced the agreement on social media, noting that both leaders recognize the urgent need to halt the ongoing loss of life.
The White House confirmed that both sides have agreed to begin negotiations immediately, although it did not clarify whether Ukraine would be directly involved in the US-Russia talks. The Kremlin confirmed the call and Putin’s invitation to Trump for a future meeting in Moscow.
The prisoner exchange saw the release of Mr. Fogel, who had been serving a 14-year sentence on drug charges deemed wrongful by the U.S., and Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian criminal facing cryptocurrency fraud charges in the U.S. Mr. Fogel was welcomed back to the White House by President Trump.
While the Kremlin offered a cautious response, suggesting the prisoner swap could foster improved relations, President Trump expressed optimism, hinting that the exchange could signal a significant step toward peace in Ukraine. The exact details of the exchange and the terms of the forthcoming negotiations remain undisclosed. This marks the first conversation between a sitting U.S. president and Putin since February 2022.
First Piper 