President Donald Trump paused a critical trilateral meeting between Ukraine and European leaders to place a direct call to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move that is being hailed by many as the boldest step yet toward securing peace in Eastern Europe.
On Monday, Trump was hosting the historic high-stakes meeting in Washington, D.C. to facilitate a trilateral peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top European leaders at the table. While there were no plans for Trump to contact Putin, the president decided to pick up the phone mid-meeting.
However, the details of Trump’s conversation with Putin have not yet been disclosed.
🚨 BREAKING - HUGE DEVELOPMENT: President Trump just reportedly halted his meeting with European leaders to call Russian President Vladimir Putin.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 18, 2025
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This is more than just political theater. This is a president taking matters into his own hands, with the gravitas and authority to actually move the needle toward ending a war that has devastated lives, crippled economies, and dragged on far too long. This impromptu call with Putin — made in the middle of the most consequential peace talks since the war began — underscores the kind of leadership we haven't seen in the White House since Trump left office. Only a man who commands respect on the global stage could freeze the table, called Putin, and expect to get answers.
Today’s bold move also makes one thing clear: President Trump is the only world leader actively and earnestly working to end the war, not just manage it, not just fund it, but end it. That’s more than Biden, the EU, NATO, or the UN have managed to do in nearly three years of conflict.
