We finally get a readout of a call Trump has made with Putin. It is a summary, but there are some points that need to be made. They "discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other topics." At least the first topic was Ukraine, instead of Trump's planned hotel in Moscow. Energy. Right now we've just about crippled Russia's sanctioned "shadow fleet" of oil tankers carrying sanctioned oil. We're slowly cutting off Russia's ability to wage war. Too many Russian soldiers dead...

Trump’s post repeated his desire to end the nearly three year war in Ukraine. But he spoke of initiating negotiations in bilateral terms — between the U.S. and Russia, treating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a lesser party. Trump and Putin “also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Trump wrote. After threatening Putin directly during his first days in office, Trump’s new posture...

Donald Trump has raised hopes the war in Ukraine could end soon as both he and Vladimir Putin want to “stop the millions of deaths” in a statement on social media. In a post shared to Trump's social media platform TruthSocial, the president claimed he had discussed several issues with the Russian leader, including the Middle East, the “power of the dollar” and other subjects. Chief among them however was a claim the shocking war in Ukraine could come to an end. Here is the full statement made by Trump...

The United States and Russia agreed to “start negotiations immediately” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump said following a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. “We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Trump said. The president said...

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa held their first phone call since the fall of Moscow-ally Bashar al-Assad last year, the Kremlin said Wednesday. Moscow has been keen to secure its two military bases in the war-torn country, both of which were left vulnerable after Assad was ousted by rebels in a major setback for Russia's foreign policy. “Vladimir Putin wished success to Ahmed al-Sharaa in solving the tasks facing the new leadership of the country for the benefit of the Syrian people,” the Kremlin said in...

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to support Syria's territorial integrity as he spoke with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said Wednesday, their first contact since the fall of Moscow-ally Bashar Assad last year.

MOSCOW, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Russia's President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Russia was a chief backer of Bashar al-Assad, the former president who was toppled by Sharaa in December, and is hoping to retain the use of its naval and air bases in Syria.